Is this the most BRUTAL moment of the 2026 election?

Summary of Is this the most BRUTAL moment of the 2026 election?

by Crooked Media

19m•October 19, 2026
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Overview of Is this the most BRUTAL moment of the 2026 election?

This Crooked Media segment is an episode of Political Actors React, where Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor break down several campaign ads from key 2026 races and judge whether they’re effective. The conversation centers on what makes a political ad work: humor, authenticity, virality, and—most importantly—whether it speaks to the right voters at the right time.

Key Ads Reviewed

Scott Colum’s Mississippi Senate ad

  • The hosts loved this ad for being genuinely funny and memorable.
  • The ad uses a simple, punchy line—“Pick another protein”—as a metaphor for rejecting incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith.
  • It reportedly went viral quickly, racking up millions of views across platforms.
  • They note Colum is taking a high-variance, creative approach that suits a long-shot race in Mississippi.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio governor ad

  • The ad attacks Ramaswamy as a wealthy tech bro who wants to cut health care and raise costs through data-center expansion.
  • The hosts think it works because it aligns with how many voters already see him: smarmy, out of touch, and self-important.
  • His own quote about being “dirty rich” is presented as politically disastrous.
  • They connect the ad to broader voter resentment around:
    • wealth inequality
    • AI/data-center economics
    • cuts to social services
  • Verdict: a strong attack ad against a candidate who gives opponents a lot of material.

John Ossoff’s Georgia ad featuring a truck driver

  • This was their example of a well-executed traditional political ad.
  • A working-class truck driver explains how rising fuel prices and Trump-era politics hurt him, while voicing support for Ossoff.
  • The ad is effective because it:
    • looks authentic
    • sounds authentic
    • speaks to disillusioned Trump voters without mocking them
  • The hosts think this kind of spot is especially useful in deep-red states, where the most persuadable voters are often former Trump voters.

Main Strategic Takeaways

1. Authenticity beats polish

  • The most effective ads feel real, not focus-grouped or overly scripted.
  • Humor works when it comes from a true insight about the candidate or issue.

2. Red-state Democratic campaigns need a different playbook

  • In places like Mississippi and Georgia, Democrats can’t just run a generic national campaign.
  • They need long-term investment in:
    • voter contact
    • registration
    • community trust
    • turnout infrastructure

3. The final audience is often disaffected Republicans

  • In many of these races, undecided voters are still heavily Trump-aligned.
  • The goal isn’t just to persuade them intellectually—it’s to give them permission to vote for a Democrat.
  • The Ossoff ad is highlighted as a strong example of that approach.

4. Candidates can hurt themselves with bad optics

  • Ramaswamy is described as the kind of candidate whose public persona makes it easy for opponents to define him negatively.
  • His attempts at “man of the people” content, like sports or baseball videos, are treated as examples of inauthentic campaigning.

Bottom Line

The hosts come away most impressed by ads that are:

  • funny without being forced
  • strategically targeted
  • grounded in real voter frustration
  • authentic to the candidate and audience

Their overall judgment:

  • Colum’s ad = viral, clever, and oddly powerful
  • Ramaswamy’s ad = a gift to opponents
  • Ossoff’s ad = a textbook example of effective persuasion in a polarized state