A bogus Facebook page posing as Gig Harbor barbecue owner and state Senate candidate Gary Parker lit up local feeds over the weekend, tossing out inflammatory posts that included one urging voters to elect Parker “so we can barbecue Deborah Krishnadasan.” The fake account splashed Parker’s headshot across its posts, linked to his campaign website and asked for donations, drawing fast outrage from commenters and injecting fresh toxicity into an already competitive legislative race.
The impostor account used the profile name “Parker Gary” and a URL ending in “NotTheRealGaryParker.” It featured a pinned donation post and had about 55 followers, according to The News Tribune. The outlet reported that several posts on the page hurled derogatory comments at Democrats and transgender people while displaying Parker’s official campaign headshot and a link to his site.
Parker, who owns Gig Harbor’s BBQ2U, has filed to run for the 26th Legislative District State Senate seat this year, according to The Olympian. His campaign site, garyparkerforwa.com, lists a registered committee and a donation portal, which the fake page steered people toward.
Candidate Responses
Incumbent Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan did not mince words. In an emailed statement, she condemned the post, saying, “Violence, threats of violence, and defamation have no place in our politics or our communities.”…