Democrat Candidate for Virginia Gov. Claims CRT Was 'Made Up' By GOP, Trump Supporters
© AP Photo / Cliff Owen
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McAuliffe made the remarks in response to a question about how he would respond to a former supporter who is now backing his Republican opponent over public schools "pushing a radical agenda in which American history is portrayed as racist" during an interview with CNN.
Terry McAuliffe, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia, claimed on Sunday that the highly controversial critical race theory (CRT) is a "made-up" scheme by his Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin to "divide people" in the same way that former President Donald Trump did, in his opinion.
"We don't teach critical race theory. This is a made-up – This is a Trump, Betsy DeVos, Glenn Youngkin plan to divide people," McAuliffe said. "It really bothers me. I try to unite people."
The politician stated that he "hates" watching what Youngkin "is trying to do to Virginia what Donald Trump did to our country."
"I really hate to see the division, the hatred. We're putting these children in this horrible position," he added.
WATCH: Virginia Democrat Terry McAuliffe falsely claims Critical Race Theory is “made up." pic.twitter.com/6ueozo4z5U
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 10, 2021
Earlier this week, McAuliffe claimed that critical race theory has "never been taught in Virginia."
"And as I've said this a lot, it's a dog whistle. It's racial, it's division and it's used by Glenn Youngkin and others, it's the same thing with Trump and the border wall, to divide people. We should not be dividing people in school," he reiterated.
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However, the gubernatorial candidate brushed aside a request to characterize critical race theory by saying, "It doesn't matter."
Virginia Democrat Terry McAuliffe suggests parents concerned about Critical Race Theory are racist, then refuses to define CRT. pic.twitter.com/MKnnb5BC4S
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 8, 2021
In early summer, McAuliffe also rebuked critical race theory concerns as a "conspiracy theory." According to an audio file obtained by Fox News, McAuliffe suggested at a campaign rally earlier this summer that critical race theory was "totally made up by Donald Trump and Glenn Youngkin."
