One of the commercials by the pro-DeVos group is complete with clips of anti-Trump protesters destroying cars and lighting fires. | Getty Pro-DeVos TV ads attack Democrats as ‘full of rage and hate’

With education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos facing a rocky path to confirmation, a conservative group is launching a pair of scorched-earth TV ads defending her – and accusing her Democratic opponents of being “full of rage and hate.”

One of the commercials, from the nonprofit organization America Next, is complete with clips of anti-President Donald Trump protesters destroying cars and lighting fires. It also has footage of actress Ashley Judd delivering impassioned remarks at the anti-Trump Women’s March on Washington the day after the inauguration.


The 30-second spot provides a window into how Republicans plan to hit back against their Democratic rivals: by painting them as bitter and out-of-the-mainstream. It uses some variation of “angry” or “hate” no fewer than five times and “left” or “liberal” a handful more.

“Why is the radical left so full of rage and hate? They still can’t accept that Trump won and they lost,” it says. “Now extreme liberals like Elizabeth Warren are trying to stop Betsy DeVos from becoming secretary of education.

“Why? DeVos angers the extreme left because she exposes their hypocrisy. DeVos wants low-income kids to have the same choices that liberal elitists have for their families. DeVos wants equal opportunity for all kids. That makes angry liberals even angrier,” it concludes.

DeVos, a school-choice advocate, has come under fire from Democrats, who charge that she is too focused on public education alternatives. She has also drawn opposition from two Republicans, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who have voiced similar concerns. To be confirmed, it is likely that DeVos will need Vice President Mike Pence to deliver a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.

America Next is overseen by former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has also advocated for education reform. Before DeVos was picked for the post, Jindal had been mentioned as a possible contender.

A second commercial accuses “Washington liberals” of opposing “giving low-income families the same education choices as everyone.”

The group is spending more than $500,000 to air the commercials, which will begin running Friday morning on multiple networks nationwide.‘

The ads were created by Curt Anderson, a veteran strategist who has worked for Jindal and a number of prominent Republican politicians.

“Betsy has been very polite and deferential to these Democrat senators,” he wrote in an email. “But we don’t have to.”