Joseph Ax

(Reuters) – Republican Eric Greitens is running for a U.S. Senate Seat in Missouri. On Monday, he released a campaign ad depicting him with a group armed men hunting “RINOS,” which stands for Republicans in Name Only. Social media platforms quickly flagged or removed the video.

Eric Greitens is a Navy SEAL and today we are going RINO hunting,” ex-Missouri governor, 48, says in the ad. He also carries a shotgun.

Greitens, accompanied by a military team in uniform, break down doors of houses and then throw what appears to have been a stungrenade inside. They stormed into the buildings.

Greitens says to Greitens, “Join our MAGA crew”, referring specifically to the slogan of former Republican President Donald Trump, Make America Great Again. “Get a RINO hunting permit. It doesn’t expire unless we save the country. There is no limit on bagging or tagging.

This ad appeared amid national gun violence debate following the Texas massacre of 19 elementary school students, two teachers, and the subsequent racially motivated murders of 10 Black men in Buffalo (New York) on May 14.

Twitter (NYSE:), flagged the advertisement, claiming it was in violation of the platform’s guidelines about abusive behavior. Facebook (NASDAQ: ) removed it. Greitens posted a Facebook message critiquing the platform and promising to fight “Big Tech” in his election.

Greitens campaign didn’t immediately reply to my request for comment.

The primary election in Missouri is set for August 2. Greitens is among many Republicans who are seeking nominations for their party. They include U.S. Rep Vicky Hartzler (US) and Eric Schmitt, the state attorney general, to replace retiring Republican Senator Roy Blunt.

It was also immediately condemned by some Republicans, who claimed Greitens encouraged political violence.

Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman from Virginia tweeted “Every R should denounce.” This is such an unhealthy and dangerous advertisement.

After his ex-wife accused Greitens of abusing him, some Republicans have pressured Greitens to quit the race. He denied any wrongdoing.

In 2018, he was accused of snapping a naked woman, and threatened to make the photos public if it became known about their relationship. He later resigned from his position as governor.

Adam Kinzinger is a Republican congressman. On Sunday, Kinzinger posted a note to his wife, in which he threatened their entire family with death. Kinzinger also called Greitens on Twitter “very evil man”.

Kinzinger is a U.S. House Committee member who broke with Trump’s party. The U.S. House panel investigates the January 6, 2021 invasion of the Capitol by a group Trump supporters seeking to block Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s win.