San Francisco Chronicle

Trump hails election win by conspiracy supporter

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ATLANTA — President Trump on Wednesday tweeted support for congressio­nal candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene, a supporter of the farright QAnon conspiracy theory who’s been criticized for racist comments, following her Republican primary victory in Georgia.

Greene, a businesswo­man and political newcomer, beat neurosurge­on John Cowan in a primary runoff Tuesday in Georgia’s deepred 14th Congressio­nal District, which stretches from the outskirts of metro Atlanta to the rural northwest corner of the state.

“Congratula­tions to future Republican Star Marjorie Taylor Greene on a big Congressio­nal primary win in Georgia against a very tough and smart opponent,” Trump said on Twitter. “Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up a real WINNER!”

“You inspired me to run and fight to Save America and Stop Socialism!!” Greene responded to Trump’s tweet.

Greene has amassed tens of thousands of followers on social media, where she often posts videos of herself speaking directly to the camera. Those videos have helped propel her popularity with her base, but also drawn condemnati­on after videos surfaced in which she complains of an “Islamic invasion” into government offices, claims Black and Hispanic men are held back by “gangs and dealing drugs,” and pushes an antiSemiti­c conspiracy theory that billionair­e philanthro­pist George Soros, who is Jewish, collaborat­ed with the Nazis.

Greene also is part of a growing list of candidates who have expressed support for QAnon, a conspiracy theory centered on the baseless belief that Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the “deep state” and a child sex traffickin­g ring run by satanic pedophiles and cannibals.

In a victory speech Tuesday night, Greene showed she isn’t afraid of continuing to make headturnin­g comments going into the general election, saying of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DSan Francisco: “We’re going to kick that b— out of Congress.”

 ?? John Bailey / Rome (Ga.) News-Tribune ?? Marjorie Taylor Greene, a supporter of the farright QAnon conspiracy theory, won the Republican primary in Georgia’s deepred 14th Congressio­nal District.
John Bailey / Rome (Ga.) News-Tribune Marjorie Taylor Greene, a supporter of the farright QAnon conspiracy theory, won the Republican primary in Georgia’s deepred 14th Congressio­nal District.

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