RNC targets McAuliffe for controversial remarks regarding children’s education as governor’s race heats up

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McAuliffe says parents shouldn't choose their children's curriculum

The panel on 'The Five' reacts

FIRST ON FOX: With just two weeks to go in Virginia's gubernatorial race, the Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a new ad Tuesday in an attempt to dissuade parents from voting for Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe. 

The video released on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat depicts a mother watching the news while updates relating to gender identity and critical race theory in schools are announced. 

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The ad – which is set to target Virginia voters – does not specifically call out McAuliffe but features a voice-over of the former governor saying, "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach."

"Democrats think politicians know best. Republicans know parents do," the ad states.

The video comes less than a month after McAuliffe drew GOP backlash during his second and final debate in the race for governor when he said parents should not have a direct say in school curriculum. 

His statement was in response to Glenn Youngkin, the Republican candidate, who blasted McAuliffe for vetoing a bill that would have required parental knowledge of all books available in school libraries. 

"I’m not going to let parents come into schools and actually take books out and make their own decision," McAuliffe said. "I stopped the bill."

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Republicans have contested that following nearly two years of strict COVID measures and arguments about the role of critical race theory in schools, parents want a greater say in their children’s education.

"Democrats want to control our children’s education and silence parents who have an opinion," RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to Fox News. "The American people know the truth – parents, not unions or bureaucrats, are best equipped to oversee their children’s education."

McAuliffe responded to the negative backlash he has received and said in an ad released Monday that Youngkin has taken his words "out of context."

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"I have always valued the concerns of parents," he said, highlighting moves he made as governor to scale back standardized testing and invest in public schools. 

Virginians will head to the polls on Nov. 2 to elect their new governor.