Clinton Ally Says Sanders Slights Minorities in New Ad

IOWA CITY, Iowa—A top ally of Hillary Clinton’s campaign says a new ad released by rival Bernie Sanders on Thursday presents a “bizarre” image of America, focused on white voters.

“It’s a significant slight to the Democratic base,” says David Brock, a long-time Clinton supporter who runs several groups aiding her candidacy. “If it weren’t for the picture of Sanders it could be an ad for Donald Trump.”

He adds: “From this ad it seems black lives don’t matter much to Bernie Sanders.”

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks to members of the media after a campaign stop at U.M.B.A. Hall in Pottawattamie, Iowa, on Jan. 19, 2016. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

The ad features images of his rallies as Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” plays. The people featured in the commercial are overwhelmingly white, with only a handful minority faces shown.

Sanders has been working to expand his support among the black and Latino voters, who are a key party base.