Senator Marsha Blackburn’s latest campaign ad is generating more than just broken plates—it’s also sparking sharp online criticism. In the commercial, Blackburn theatrically smashes China plates to symbolize her stance against what she describes as the growing threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) infiltrating U.S. industries. While the ad is intended to position the Republican senator as tough on China, many viewers are far from impressed.
“Communist China will stop at nothing to become globally dominant, and they are hard at work to infiltrate every major U.S. industry to meet their goal,” Blackburn says in the ad. “That’s why I won’t stop fighting in the Senate to ensure we don’t give the CCP an inch of our farmland, classrooms, technology, or anything else they could use to exploit our nation’s security.”
Blackburn’s message—dramatically delivered as she breaks china plates—has drawn strong reactions from both her supporters and detractors. Critics quickly took to social media to denounce the ad as theatrical and out of touch with Tennessee voters.
Donna (@donnagv7) called the ad “ridiculous and stupid,” while Nancy Garrett of Moms Against Vouchers questioned Blackburn’s priorities: “You have time to make this ad but no time to appear in a public debate? Please reconsider.”
Some critics turned their attention to the ad’s production itself. Top Tennessee (@TopTenn) tweeted, “It’s time to vote Marsha Blackburn out of office. Tennessee taxpayers probably paid for those plates and I guarantee they were made in China.”
The commercial comes at a time when Blackburn is facing mounting criticism for refusing to participate in debates with her Democratic challenger, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, ahead of the upcoming election. Six years after debating former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen twice during her first U.S. Senate campaign, Blackburn has declined invitations from various media outlets to face Johnson on the debate stage.
Joseph Gutierrez, executive director of the Asian and Pacific Islanders of Middle Tennessee, also raised concerns about the ad’s tone, warning that it fuels dangerous stereotypes. “Sinophobic messages like this are not just untrue, they continue to sow division and have real consequences on the safety and well-being of our community,” Gutierrez said in a statement to Nashville Banner. He further emphasized the need for leaders who promote fair, inclusive policies.
While the Blackburn campaign continues to push its narrative about China as a national security threat, detractors, like Mendy Boyd (@mendyboyd), argue the senator’s attention is misplaced. “Marsha, women are dying in red states because of that rapist’s abortion ban and this is all you have?” Boyd tweeted, calling for a vote for Johnson to represent women’s issues more effectively.
Even Blackburn’s mention of China’s economic activities drew irony from some viewers. Allison (@Snarkage1) commented, “Trump bibles are made in China. His gold shoes are too!” This kind of pointed humor was echoed by another viewer, Dark Dragon1300 (@mhenthor1), who noted, “A commercial for a senator that doesn’t talk about the state at all… Par for the course for the senator we never see or hear from.”
