During the campaign, the National Republican Congressional Committee ran an advertisement criticizing Delgado for his previous career as a rapper. Faso called some of Delgado's rap lyrics "very troubling and offensive", saying they "paint an ugly and false picture of America." The then-candidate, who was seeking to become the first nonwhite person to represent New York's 19th district, has said the criticism of his rap lyrics is an attempt to "otherize" him. The ad against Delgado stirred controversy, with "The New York Times" editorial board criticizing Faso for what they termed a "cynical campaign of race-baiting".