Pennsylvania’s Democratic lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, who is running for the U.S. Senate, is being called out for making a supersized racist remark, according to several critics.

In December 2021, Fetterman said that he doesn’t believe poor Pennsylvanians and “people of color” are capable of accomplishing a basic task such as obtaining a state-issued ID, noting that they are  “less likely to have their ID at any one given time.” He went on to denounce voter ID and other election integrity measures as “outrageous,” “illogical,” and “unfair.”

“In my own state, they are going to pass, attempt to pass a constitutional amendment making sure that universal voting ID for every time you vote, not just when you sign up to vote, but every time you vote,” he complained at the time, American Wire reported. “Because they understand that at any given time, there’s tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who typically are on the poorer side and are people of color that are less likely to have their ID at any one given time.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) responded to a clip of Fetterman making his remarks that was posted to social media.

“A completely racist comment. Sadly, it’s unsurprising from Democrat John Fetterman— the same guy who pulled a shotgun on an unarmed and innocent black jogger,” he wrote on Monday.

A completely racist comment. Sadly, it’s unsurprising from Democrat John Fetterman— the same guy who pulled a shotgun on an unarmed and innocent black jogger. https://t.co/lwPiEVcXc1

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 29, 2022

American Wire noted further:

IDs are required for so many basic functions in life today, from driving to banking to flying, with state-issued identification cards available for those who don’t drive.

Fetterman is running against Republican nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz, and bills himself as a “blue collar tough guy” in campaign ads, “a tattooed everyman from a rugged steel town outside Pittsburgh,” as characterized by The Meadville Tribune.

In reality, he grew up in the wealthy suburb of York, Pa. His father is a successful businessman and has financially supported his son and his family for the last 13 years, the entire time the younger Fetterman was mayor of Braddock. The municipal seat, a part-time gig, paid him just $150 a year and he was supported by his parents until the age of 49, according to the New York Post. In 2015 alone, his parents gave him a $54,000 salary.

“He’s a pretend populist,” Oz noted recently on Fox News, according to American Wire. “Many folks think it’s because of the way he dresses with his hoodies and his shorts that he’s been working his whole life. It’s quite the opposite.”

Other critics weighed in as well.

Typical of all Democrats, only some aren’t dumb enough to say stupid things out loud, they just discriminate behind the minorities back. https://t.co/kdrHHO04wn

— Scott Taylor (@staylo27) August 30, 2022

The soft racism on the left is pretty amazing. If I were black I would be very insulted to hear these white saviors going on about how much black people need their help.

— Schrödinger’s Cat (@Incubatedideas) August 29, 2022

Why do black voters continue to vote for people that have such low opinions of them?

— Peter Garrett (@TheUnrealPeterG) August 29, 2022

Honestly, is there anything in the world more racist than telling black people they can’t produce anything that proves their identity?

— Andy Martin (@Dollarlogic) August 29, 2022

What does the colour of their skin have to do with anything why they would have ID or not. It’s so ridiculous I can’t believe anyone takes this nonsense seriously.

— Shelton Coffey (@shelton_coffey) August 29, 2022