Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago camp uses Jesus image to hit Kirk Menendez

Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago camp uses Jesus image to hit Kirk Menendez
  • Sumo

Bringing political campaigns to an all new low — or is it a new high? — a Coral Gables supporter or supporters of Mayor Vince Lago posted a photo on social media earlier this month that morphed the face of Commissioner Kirk Menendez, who is running against the incumbent for mayor, with an image of Jesus Christ.

The message beneath the post by Aesop Gables, a known surrogate for Lago: “Whoever has the Kirk, has life; whoever does not have the Kirk does not have life.” It cites the book of George. Merrick?

Was this mocking Menendez’s strong faith and longtime active involvement in the church? How does this help the Lago campaign? Is the incumbent mayor appealing to people who hate Christ?

Whatever the message was, it has backfired some. Las viejitas in Coral Gables (read: senior voters) are clutching their pearls. The shocked reaction forced the Lago campaign — not Lago, but the campaign — to issue a statement denying association to the image. But it seemed really like a self-promotional plug. Not an apology or even a disassociation.

“The Vince Lago campaign strongly condemns the use of religious imagery for political attacks,” his handlers posted on social media. “Mayor Vince Lago is a proud Catholic, as is his family. His faith is personal, not political. His daughters attend Catholic School, and like many in our community, he believes faith should unite, and not divide.

“Let’s keep this campaign about the issues that matter to our residents,” the post read, listing the issues that really don’t matter to many or maybe most residents, “… not cheap shots and religious attacks.”

All he had to do was make a phone call. Because the one who made the cheap religious attack was Aesop Gables, a blogger long known to be a strong Lago supporter and surrogate. It would be insane to think that Aesop posted that image of the Kirk Christ without Lago’s permission or, at the very least, knowledge.