At first glance, new billboards in Arizona resemble Chick-fil-A's famous “Eat Mor Chikin” ads, but instead of cows, these feature cats dressed in cow costumes. The message? "EAT LESS KITTENS" followed by "Vote Republican!"
The Arizona Republican Party unveiled about a dozen of these billboards around Phoenix on Tuesday. The campaign was a response to baseless claims from some top Republicans, including Donald Trump, suggesting that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating Americans' pets. Trump repeated these claims during an ABC News debate, despite local police confirming there was no evidence of such incidents.
In a press release, the Arizona GOP called the billboards a "humorous but serious reminder" of the stakes surrounding border security and community safety. Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for her role in border policy, while praising Trump for his commitment to securing the nation's borders.
The rumors of pets being harmed by immigrants in Springfield appear to have started with an unverified post in a local Facebook group. Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio), Trump’s running mate, echoed the claims on social media, though the National Security Council denounced them as dangerous misinformation. Trump repeated these allegations during the debate, despite moderator David Muir pointing out there were no credible reports to support them.
The Arizona GOP used the billboards to tie these rumors to broader concerns about immigration, drawing criticism from Arizona Democrats, who called the campaign xenophobic. Former Arizona GOP Chair Robert Graham also criticized the billboards, calling them a "waste of money" and urging the party to focus on more pressing issues for voters.
The Arizona GOP, facing internal controversy earlier this year and electoral losses in recent years, defended the campaign on social media, saying the media and Democrats were more focused on the billboards than on border security.
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