According to previously unreported footage obtained by American Ledger, in July 2014 Georgia Republican Senator David Perdue launched his first campaign for the United States Senate under the shadow of the Confederate flag.

The recently uncovered footage comes as Sen. Perdue’s 2020 reelection campaign was sharply criticized yesterday for running a campaign advertisement where they enlarged the nose of his Jewish Democratic opponent, Jon Ossoff, perpetuating a chronically used anti-semitic trope.

Sen. Perdue’s use of prejudicial symbols to pursue political gain stretches back through the entirety of his career.

In July and October 2014, Sen. Perdue held campaign events outside of Rebel’s Pantry, a convenience store that had a large Confederate flag flying prominently over the parking lot. At the time, Rebel’s Pantry was reportedly owned by relatives of Derick Dickey, Sen. Perdue’s campaign consultant who would go on to be his Chief of Staff in the Senate. Sen. Perdue has praised the key role Dickey played in his campaign, stating that he, “would not be here without” Dickey.

In addition to holding two early campaign events under the Confederate flag, Sen. Perdue has previously pledged his support for protecting statues memorializing Confederate generals.

Perdue’s cousin, Sonny Perdue, the former Governor of Georgia, prominently supported the Confederate flag when he was running for Governor.

In November, Sen. Perdue is running for reelection as U.S. Senator from Georgia, where voters will weigh in on his long history of supporting the use of anti-semitic and racist imagery for his own political benefit.


Contact Chai Karve at ckarve@americanbridge.org