His Twitter handle is @IronStache, and he’s coming for Paul Ryan.
Randy Bryce, a mustachioed iron worker, union man, Army veteran and holder of that Marvel Comics quality nickname, has announced his intention to challenge House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) for his seat in Congress.
And boy, did he make an announcement. The Democrat’s first campaign video hit the internet like a wrecking ball yesterday. Gobsmacked pundits have called it everything from “amazing” to one of the best political ads of all time.
The cinematic two-and-a-half-minute production overlays Ryan’s smug justifications about Obamacare with Bryce visiting his mother, who has multiple sclerosis. (Bryce himself is a cancer survivor.) He visits his pals in the iron forge and talks about the political value of being an actual working man. (Ouch, Ryan, ya burnt with that iron forger.) “I decided to run for office because not everyone’s seated at the table, and it’s time to make a bigger table,” says Bryce. “Let’s trade places,” Brice said. “Paul Ryan, you can come work the iron and I’ll go to D.C.”
Twitter approved.
I think I might move to Wisconsin just to vote for this guy.
I think you’re toast @SpeakerRyan. #RandyBrice https://t.co/adH2dXRfez— Left in the South (@BluedotGa) June 20, 2017
I didn’t even realize that this was a political ad until the end. I loved it. I hope he wins. pic.twitter.com/3zlpAWmOYr
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 20, 2017
Okay I just watched the Randy Brice thing and I am all in take all my money.
— Kari Bentley-Quinn (@KBQWrites) June 21, 2017
if democrats have any brains at all this will be every 2018 ad https://t.co/czZ5bBJq1q
— Bob Jovi (@pblest) June 20, 2017
Ironworker Randy Bryce announces run against Paul Ryan in 2018 with “one of, if not the, best” political ads https://t.co/T2A91WTpuw pic.twitter.com/j6SRQZxt13
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 20, 2017
Today, Gabriel Debenedetti of Politico reported that Bryce has raised $100,000 in the 24 hours since the ad dropped.
On his website, Bryce outlined the fundamentals of his platform: “My values are my neighbors’ values, and we know that Washington has gotten way off track. Whether it’s healthcare, jobs, national security, education, or the environment, there’s not one issue where Paul Ryan and Donald Trump are headed in the right direction. It’s time for a change in Congress.”
If Bryce wins any potential primary and faces Ryan, it will be an uphill battle. He previously lost two races for state Congress, and Ryan defeated Democrat Ryan Solen by 35 points in 2016.
But then, he didn’t have that video.
