Senate GOP campaign arm revives Schumer’s deleted burger photo for political ad

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is once again bringing attention to a controversial photo of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer that went viral a year ago. The NRSC, the campaign arm of the Senate GOP, used National Hamburger Day as an opportunity to release a new video titled “We Grill Right,” highlighting Schumer’s infamous social media post from Father’s Day in 2024.

In the photo that caused a stir last year, Schumer was shown placing a slice of cheese on an uncooked burger patty. The post included a caption from Schumer stating, “Our family has lived in an apartment building for all our years, but my daughter and her wife just bought a house with a backyard and for the first time we’re having a barbeque with hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill!”

Schumer faced swift backlash on social media, with conservatives mocking his cooking skills. The post was eventually deleted, and late-night host Stephen Colbert also poked fun at Schumer’s culinary mishap.

Now, a year later, the NRSC is using the incident to take a swipe at Schumer and the Democratic Party. In their video, the NRSC encourages voters to “join a real party, the Republican Party. We grill right.” The committee is even selling merchandise on their website, including beer koozies with the slogan, “I grill like I vote. Right.”

In addition to poking fun at Schumer, the NRSC also highlighted reports that Democratic strategists and consultants are spending millions of dollars to better connect with male and working-class voters, a demographic the party has struggled to reach in recent elections.

Nick Puglia, NRSC regional press secretary, criticized this effort, stating, “Shouldn’t take much to know how to grill a burger or correctly call a pick six, but apparently for Democrats, figuring out how to be a normal American takes at least $20 million – and even that won’t be enough.”

With Republicans currently holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, the GOP is looking to expand their control in the upcoming midterm elections. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has not yet responded to the NRSC’s latest attack.

Paul Steinhauser, a politics reporter based in New Hampshire, covers the campaign trail nationwide. His reporting provides insight into the strategies and tactics employed by both parties as they gear up for the 2026 elections.