(Above: Darius Foster’s ad, “In a Box”)
Republican Darius Foster is running for Alabama House of Representatives in District 56, which includes the suburban Birmingham areas of Bessemer, Lake Cyrus, Lipscomb, Oxmoor Valley, Ross Bridge and Shannon.
Foster is one of a record number of black Republicans who decided to put their name on the ballot this year in the Yellowhammer State, but he’s not interested in being placed in that box, or any other box for that matter.
In a new web ad titled “In a Box,” Foster enlists a diverse group of his supporters to help tell his story.
“My campaign team thought it would be a fun idea to introduce myself to the district with an innovative commercial,” Foster explained. “We decided to record a video sharing facts about me while challenging stereotypes. In a nutshell, I am not monolithic. I am many things. I can’t be put in a box.”
The ad can be seen above, and here’s the transcript:
Since I announced my campaign, people mostly ask me how long I have been a Republican, where do I live, what school did I attend. I suppose they’re just trying to get to know me, or put me in a box.
Did you know that while growing up, we went half the winter without heat? Or that I think best while listening to Frank Sinatra?
The last concert I attended was Lil’ Wayne. Yes, Lil Wayne. My favorite NBA player is Dirk Nowitzki. Go Mavs. I take it personally when people mistake poor for lazy. And unfortunately, no, I cannot swim.
My favorite book of the Bible is Ecclesiastes. It’s the only book I’ve read where God gave a man everything, he lost it and lived to tell about it. I was the first in my family to earn a four-year degree. And one of the best things about me is that I married very, very well.
Now that you know a little about me, do I really fit in a box?
In a campaign season dominated by cookie-cutter ads, Foster’s approach stands out.
District 56 has been a traditionally Democratic district over the years, but re-districting has made the district slightly more favorable to a Republican challenger. It will still be a difficult uphill climb for Foster, but he is aided by the fact that incumbent Lawrence McAdory (D-Bessemer) lost in the Democratic primary to former Bessemer City Councilwoman Louise Alexander earlier this month.
What do you think about Foster’s ad? Let us know in the comment section below or by tweeting @YHPolitics.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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