Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
When it comes to getting noticed in politics nowadays, candidates often have to get creative. (We do, after all, currently call a former reality television star our president). In a new campaign video, Democrat Dan Helmer, currently running in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, calls out his competitor Representative Barbara Comstock – by parodying the iconic musical bar scene from Top Gun. If you think you know what’s coming, think again. Helmer kicks things off by introducing us to the “Helmer Zone” and things only go… downhill from there.
At what can only be his favorite neighborhood sports bar, Helmer’s wife bets him that he can’t get Comstock to hold a town hall. He approaches Comstock, who is quietly having a drink nearby, and picks up the microphone to show her how it’s done. What ensues – including lyrics like “you never hold town halls anymore with constituents”, “Planned Parenthood and ObamaCare you voted against”, and “you’ve lost that centrist feeling, ’cause you’ve been right wing appealing,” – eventually implores the entire bar to join in and sing along, despite a seemingly never-ending stream of clearly uncomfortable faces in the crowd.
In itself, the campaign video isn’t a terrible idea – if done well, it might have elicited some genuine laughter and intrigue. Helmer’s wooden acting, cheesy lyrics, and hilariously bewildered crowd, however, ensure that there are a lot more cringes to be had than laughs. In the realm of politics, pretty much anything seems possible now, so it’s pretty remarkable that Helmer’s video still feels like such a surprise. You have to give him credit, though – when’s the last time a political candidate put out a video so confidently ridiculous (and relatively innocuous)?
Oh, and if you’re questioning the video’s authenticity or Helmer’s positions at all, he approves of “town halls, bad singing, and this message.”
