Detroit attorney's campaign ad: Vote for candidates without a penis

Dana Nessel's message is clear: We need more women in positions of power.

And the Democrat running for Michigan attorney general's latest campaign ad has people talking.

Nessel points to the litany of recent sexual harassment and assault allegations that have led to the firing of several prominent male figures — a list that includes Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose and John Conyers — and vows to "not sexually harass my staff" if she's elected.

“If the last few weeks have taught us anything, it’s that we need more women in positions of power, not less,” Nessel says in the ad. “So when you’re choosing Michigan’s next attorney general, ask yourself this: Who can you trust most not to show you their penis in a professional setting? Is it the candidate who doesn’t have a penis? I’d say so.”

Nessel is a Detroit attorney who became famous with her successful fight to legalize same-sex marriage. She announced her bid for Michigan attorney general last August.

If successful, she would be the second woman to become Michigan's attorney general. Jennifer Granholm was the first.

In the ad, Nessel pushed for the idea of an all-female ticket in statewide office — having a female governor, female attorney general and a female secretary of state.

"Well, I read the news, and I bet you do, too," she said. "And it has me wondering: Can we afford not to?

"I want to tell you what you can expect me not to do. I will not sexually harass my staff, and I won’t tolerate it in your workplace either. I won’t walk around in a half-open bathrobe, and I’ll continue to take all sex crimes seriously, just like I did as a prosecutor."

Watch the video here.

Contact Brian Manzullo: bmanzullo@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianManzullo.

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