Meet the new QAnon caucus in Congress
Not one but two Republicans who support the dangerous and baseless conspiracy theory were elected to Congress.
QAnon sympathizers Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado were declared winners in their U.S. congressional races — meaning two people who believe in the baseless conspiracy theory deemed a domestic terror threat by the FBI will join the GOP caucus.
To be sure, nearly two dozen other QAnon believers also ran for Congress and lost — like Lauren Witzke, who failed in bid to oust Democratic Sen. Chris Coons in Delaware.
But Greene and Boebert’s victories ensure there will now be a vocal duo of Republican lawmakers who believe in the pro-Trump conspiracy theory alleging, among other things, that there is a cabal of Democratic pedophiles and satan worshippers who are trying to take him down.
Despite the FBI saying the movement presents a threat to Americans, Republicans have welcomed QAnon supporters into their coalition this cycle.
Republican leaders embraced Greene — who has also made racist, Islamophobic, and antisemitic comments publicly.
Trump himself called Greene a “future Republican Star” and “a real WINNER!”
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), who now finds herself in a runoff to win the seat she was appointed to, celebrated her endorsement from Greene.
And Sen. Cory Gardner, the Colorado Republican who lost reelection Tuesday night, campaigned with Boebert in his failed race.
Meanwhile, the National Republican Campaign Committee — which seeks to elect Republicans to the House — ran ads against New Jersey Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski that were clearly targeted to QAnon supporters. Those ads led Malinowski to receive death threats. (Malinowski won reelection despite the GOP ads.)
What’s more, a number of House Republicans refused to vote for a resolution in the House that condemned the dangerous conspiracy theory.
Ultimately, the fact that QAnon supporters are now in the House and embraced by GOP leaders will give legitimacy to the conspiracy theory, which continues to spread on social media.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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