This Just Might Be The Most Painfully Awkward Campaign Ad Ever Made

"Dan, I like you. This is... not a good ad. Fire whoever thought it was."

A video to promote the fledgling campaign of a Democratic hopeful in Virginia is going viral -- but for all the wrong reasons.

The awkward footage shows Dan Helmer, who is running for the U.S. House, doing a parody of the bar scene from “Top Gun.” In the film, Maverick (Tom Cruise) sings “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” to Charlie (Kelly McGillis) and the entire bar joins in.

In the ad, Helmer sings “You’ve Lost That Centrist Feelin’,” supposedly to Republican incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock.

This guy in the crowd seems to sum up viewer reaction to the whole thing:

The Washington Post called the video “cringe-worthy.” Slate described it as “the worst ad of the 2018 elections.” And Esquire challenged its readers to “try to make it through this entire ad without cringing.” Social media users largely shared that sentiment:

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