Minnesota Senate Candidate Once Compared Michelle Obama To A 'Chimp'

Karin Housley, who is running to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate, made racist comments about first lady Michelle Obama back in 2009.

Breanna Edwards Oct, 16, 2018

Republican Karin Housley, a state senator in Minnesota who is currently running for the U.S. Senate, has recently come under fire after the discovery of a 2009 Facebook post in which she compared forever First Lady Michelle Obama to a chimp, The Huffington Post reports.

“Michelle is soooo far from cool. Don’t we expect our First Ladies to at least stand up straight? (And my dear sister, know the proper etiquette and DO NOT TOUCH THE QUEEN!),” Housley wrote on Facebook, in reference to Obama’s posture when she met Queen Elizabeth II.

“I do miss Nancy Reagan. Ronald even more. Speaking of Bedtime for Bonzo, I think even that chimp stood up straighter than Michelle,” Housley continued later down in the comments, citing the 1951 film Bedtime for Bonzo.

I often wonder when other races of people will stop comparing Black people to monkeys or apes. It is seriously boring to the point where I can’t even be upset. The insult is centuries old. If you’re going to be racist in the 21st century, is it too much to ask that you at least be original?

When Huffpo questioned a spokesperson for Housley’s campaign about the comment, they were met with pushback.

“This is what the radical left does when they are losing—they attack Republicans so they don’t have to come up with solutions to the problems Minnesotans are facing,” Jack Schneider accused.

Nonetheless, as the HuffPo notes, Housley has a history of problematic comments.

In an April 2009 column for the Stillwater Gazette, Housely attacked Hillary Clinton’s appearance, comparing her unfavorably to Sarah Palin.

“Gov. Sarah Palin didn’t even have to utter a word and people thought she wasn’t qualified. Sarah is beautiful (hot even, some say), with a stunning smile, great figure and an adorable family,” she wrote.

“Is it possible that we judge the beautiful people in reverse? She’s attractive, therefore not smart?” she added. “Would we rather have our women in politics look like Hillary Clinton?”

Housely also criticized Barack Obama’s pronunciation of Pakistan, calling it not “American.”

These are apparently the picks we have going on during the midterm. Housley is running against Sen. Tina Smith, who was appointed to fill Al Franken’s seat following sexual misconduct allegations.

According to a poll by RealClearPolitics, Smith is currently leading Housley by an average of almost 10 points.