LAMBERTH, Kalnier -- Conservative gubernatorial candidate Tony Ritonio ("Rit-tone-yo") lashed out at his own party over the weekend for racist remarks made about his running mate.
In a hastily arranged press conference, a visibly angry Ritonio denounced racist comments made by unnamed party officials about his running mate, state Sen. Len Shigasi (C-Lamberth).
The 56-year-old Shigasi, who represents west Lamberth, is of Japanese-Grassadellian heritage.
According to Kalprechauns, a conservative political blog, a staffer at the state CNS party headquarters leaked a story about several high-ranking leaders in the state Conservative party who privately questioned Ritonio's choice of Shigasi as his running mate because they feared Shigasi's Japanese ethnicity would be a turn off white voters.
"Specifically, these three individuals (who so far have not been identified), were concerned that white voters would be reluctant to vote for an Italian governor and Japanese lieutenant governor," the post on Kalprechauns said, referring to Ritonio and Shigasi.
The article did not identify the staffer, and the staffer did not identify the party leaders, the post said.
But the anonymous story got traction, and gained enough attention for Tony Ritonio to address the issue.
At his press conference Saturday afternoon, Ritonio stood behind Shigasi and emphatically defended his running mate.
"I don't know who said it, or what exact words they said. But I want to say right now that if anyone has an issue with me picking Len Shigasi as my running mate, that's tough luck, because I chose him. He is qualified, he is a distinguished leader, he is an exceptional family man and public servant, and his race and ethnicity should not and will not be an issue in this campaign. If people want to have their own private racist opinions, that's fine. Keep them to yourself. Because this man is a good man, and he has my full support, and I will not let racism be apart of this campaign. Not toward Len, not toward our opponents, not toward anyone. Racism has no place in the Ritonio/Shigasi campaign," said Ritonio.
Shigasi spoke briefly, saying he was saddened his race had become an issue, but said he was moving on.
"I'm not going to let this distract me from the campaign and the issues that are important to Kalnierans," he said.
Ritonio and Shigasi's NAT rivals, Karen DeSalle and Paul Myrick, released a statement condemning the attacks on Shigasi's heritage and applauding their conservative counterparts for taking a stand against racism.
"While we do not see eye to eye on the issues, Paul and I are honored to run against Mr. Ritonio and Mr. Shigasi. No candidate's race or ethnic heritage should be a target for racist and hurtful comments. We are glad that Kalnier is a state that values diversity, and we will support diversity in this campaign, on both sides," the statement read.
While Kalnier's population is overwhelmingly Caucasian, the state's largest city of Lamberth is home to many ethnic minorities. Asian-Grasadellians make up the largest minority group in Kalnier, with Japanese-Grassadellians the largest of the Asian ethnic groups represented.
In a hastily arranged press conference, a visibly angry Ritonio denounced racist comments made by unnamed party officials about his running mate, state Sen. Len Shigasi (C-Lamberth).
The 56-year-old Shigasi, who represents west Lamberth, is of Japanese-Grassadellian heritage.
According to Kalprechauns, a conservative political blog, a staffer at the state CNS party headquarters leaked a story about several high-ranking leaders in the state Conservative party who privately questioned Ritonio's choice of Shigasi as his running mate because they feared Shigasi's Japanese ethnicity would be a turn off white voters.
"Specifically, these three individuals (who so far have not been identified), were concerned that white voters would be reluctant to vote for an Italian governor and Japanese lieutenant governor," the post on Kalprechauns said, referring to Ritonio and Shigasi.
The article did not identify the staffer, and the staffer did not identify the party leaders, the post said.
But the anonymous story got traction, and gained enough attention for Tony Ritonio to address the issue.
At his press conference Saturday afternoon, Ritonio stood behind Shigasi and emphatically defended his running mate.
"I don't know who said it, or what exact words they said. But I want to say right now that if anyone has an issue with me picking Len Shigasi as my running mate, that's tough luck, because I chose him. He is qualified, he is a distinguished leader, he is an exceptional family man and public servant, and his race and ethnicity should not and will not be an issue in this campaign. If people want to have their own private racist opinions, that's fine. Keep them to yourself. Because this man is a good man, and he has my full support, and I will not let racism be apart of this campaign. Not toward Len, not toward our opponents, not toward anyone. Racism has no place in the Ritonio/Shigasi campaign," said Ritonio.
Shigasi spoke briefly, saying he was saddened his race had become an issue, but said he was moving on.
"I'm not going to let this distract me from the campaign and the issues that are important to Kalnierans," he said.
Ritonio and Shigasi's NAT rivals, Karen DeSalle and Paul Myrick, released a statement condemning the attacks on Shigasi's heritage and applauding their conservative counterparts for taking a stand against racism.
"While we do not see eye to eye on the issues, Paul and I are honored to run against Mr. Ritonio and Mr. Shigasi. No candidate's race or ethnic heritage should be a target for racist and hurtful comments. We are glad that Kalnier is a state that values diversity, and we will support diversity in this campaign, on both sides," the statement read.
While Kalnier's population is overwhelmingly Caucasian, the state's largest city of Lamberth is home to many ethnic minorities. Asian-Grasadellians make up the largest minority group in Kalnier, with Japanese-Grassadellians the largest of the Asian ethnic groups represented.
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