House Republicans gathered for yet another overwhelmingly white selfie on Thursday, and were roundly mocked on social media for it.
As one Twitter user put it, “You’d think by now republicans would have learned their lesson on the all-white selfies.” You’d think.
The picture was shared on the House GOP Twitter account with the caption “UNIFIED,” referencing a press conference given by newly re-elected Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday. “Welcome to the dawn of a new unified Republican government,” Ryan said.
The GOP became the butt of a few similar jokes earlier this year when Ryan shared a photo of himself with the party’s interns — another sea of white faces. That situation was only made worse when the Democrats shared a noticeably more diverse photo of their own interns.
Thursday’s photo was taken to commemorate a visit by Mike Pence on Thursday, meaning the vice president elect got the privilege of holding the selfie stick.
Pence is also scheduled to meet one-on-one with party leaders later in the day — including Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer.
According to an analysis by The Hill, the 115th Congress scheduled to take office in January is set to be the most racially diverse in history. But if that’s not reflected in the photo, it’s probably because it’s not reflected in the Republican party.
“Record numbers of Hispanics, African-Americans, Asian-Americans and women of color will serve in the next legislative session,” The Hill wrote. “Most of the racial, gender and religious diversity will be represented by Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate, even though the party is the minority of both chambers.”
See some of the reactions to the aggressively white photo below:
UNIFIED. pic.twitter.com/QqXrIClMtX
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) November 17, 2016
The Whitest Selfie Of All Time. https://t.co/7AoN9ZTVqm
— Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) November 17, 2016
Hmmm. pic.twitter.com/sWtwGI2pwi
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 17, 2016
.@HouseGOP @mike_pence why you guys got my mans backed up in the corner like he's in time out pic.twitter.com/F54UCV75Ph
— MP (@mrmichaelpersad) November 17, 2016
The GOP rainbow coalition: Alabaster, eggshell, ecru, cotton, cream, lily, bone, linen, milk… pic.twitter.com/bGEFtJyxwX
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) November 17, 2016
+ the official mascot of white people – The selfie stick
— Coralie Wood (@Coralily16) November 17, 2016
— SG (@itsStephGee) November 17, 2016
.@HouseGOP @mike_pence @SpeakerRyan @GOPLeader https://t.co/ytpMgqwjlY
— Justin Hardie (@OrangeHardie) November 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/RichardKemmerer/status/799287917722136577
https://twitter.com/kevinjcall/status/799291102377472001
— ⚾️ (@md_dc) November 17, 2016
— mar (@invoIuntaryties) November 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/bathroompolice/status/799292974676877312
https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/799286430321217536