Democratic Candidate Evokes Slain Journalist Daughter As His ‘Running Mate’ In Powerful Ad

Andy Parker, the father of slain TV journalist Alison Parker, launched his campaign for Congress in Virginia with a powerful ad evoking the memory of his daughter.

“Candidates for Congress don’t usually have running mates, but I do and my running mate will be with me every step of the way. Alison has inspired me to take a stand,” Parker, a Democrat, said in the spot honoring his daughter, a WDBJ journalist shot to death during an on-camera interview in 2015.

Camera operator Adam Ward also was gunned down. The killer, a former co-worker at the station in Roanoke, shot himself to death.

“People ask, ‘Why are you doing this? Politics is a cesspool, you’ll get attacked,’” the congressional hopeful said in the video released Thursday. “Well, that all may be true. But it’s nothing compared to losing a child.”

In 2015, my 24-year-old daughter, Alison Parker, was shot and killed on live television. I had a choice to retreat into my grief or honor Alison’s life through action. I chose the latter. I’m running for Congress because Central and Southside Virginia need a fighter in Congress. pic.twitter.com/3Y0iTv7Blx

— Andy Parker (@AndyParkerVA) January 27, 2022

In the years following Parker’s death, her father became a staunch advocate for gun control and called out tech companies for allowing the proliferation of violent content — including footage of his daughter’s killing — on their platforms.

Southwest Virginia’s 5th Congressional District is currently held by Rep. Bob Good (R), who voted to overturn the 2020 election result. Parker has called Good the “Marjorie Taylor Greene of Virginia.”

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.