There were plenty of inspirational Super Bowl ads that tried to play on fears about America’s decline, but former Rep. Peter Hoekstra’s Senate campaign took a different approach. The ad, which aired during the game in Michigan, features an Asian woman wearing a conical straw hat, riding a bike through a rice paddy, and saying things like “Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good.” Despite controversy about the ad, Hoekstra’s spokesperson stood by it, saying that it was satirical and the woman’s broken English was meant to bring attention to the Chinese education system. “It exhibits another way in which China is competing with us globally,” said the spokesperson. Asian-American groups and even some GOP consultants have criticized the ad.
On Monday, referring to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, Hoekstra doubled down: "Maddow promoting ad on her website. She doesn't like it because it hits Ds where it hurts - spending!"
