KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Jewish Alliance said it is "beyond dismayed and frankly downright angered" over a recent political mailer. It shows a picture of State House District 18 candidate Greg Kaplan with a distorted face.
"The distortion of Jewish features in media and print has been used as negative propaganda throughout history," KJA wrote in a statement. "The use of caricatures in this manner is wildly dangerous and we call it out as anti-Semitic."
The mailer showed it was sent and paid for by the Tennessee Republican Party. 10News spoke with them Wednesday evening and Friday afternoon.
They said they would answer our questions, but have not responded as of 6 p.m. on Thursday.
"I am beyond dismayed and frankly downright angered that this mailer went out in our district," KJA said. "Tennessee State House District 18, which Greg is running for, encompasses multiple local Jewish institutions."
An Anti-Defamation League said a 2021 audit found anti-Semitic incidents rose 74% in the southeast region last year. Seventeen of those incidents were in Tennessee.
"The ad also contains a physical distortion of my face which is absurd and childish," Kaplan said. "A civil discussion of issues as urged by the Howard Baker Center becomes impossible when people behave in this outrageous manner."
Kaplan is running against Republican Elaine Davis, who said she had no knowledge or involvement in the mailer until after the fact. She said her campaign has only ever authorized mailers talking about the issues that voters care about and that she's not a part of political theater.
Davis said this campaign is about making sure the people of the State House District 18 have people that are responsive and willing to serve the community.
Victor Ashe spent more than a decade in the state legislature, serving as both a state senator and a state representative. He then served as Knoxville's mayor for 15 years.
He received the printed campaign ad in the mail.
"The level of campaigning, especially at the local level has become much more personal and negative," said Ashe. "Pictures that are sent out of people's opponents that have been distorted and made to look like a caricature that's just inappropriate."