



One thing Election 2016 most certainly is not about is subtlety. But Donald Trump isn’t the only one in on the act. Eric Greitens, a Republican running for governor of Missouri, launched a campaign ad on Monday that is, well, pretty explosive.

Introducing himself as a “conservative Navy SEAL,” Greitens (a Navy reservist who served in Iraq and Afghanistan) opens the 30-second spot with the most predictable of rhetoric: Missouri is in thrall to corrupt lobbyists and special interests while average folks are hurting, etc. Except Greitens is standing on an empty rural road, an assault rifle in hand. “Well I’m no career politician,” he says, donning a pair of safety glasses. “I’ll take dead aim at politics as usual.” Then he kneels, pops in a mag, and unloads a barrage into a field, promptly blowing up…something. Watch:

Greitens continues a long tradition of politicians posing with guns. But hey, at least he didn’t threaten to shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue.