Trump backs controversial candidate in Georgia
Top Republicans, including President Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, are embracing their party’s nominee for a House seat in Georgia, despite her history of racist and anti-Semitic remarks and promotion of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory.
Trump gave a full-throated endorsement of Marjorie Taylor Greene on Wednesday after she won a primary runoff in Georgia, calling her a “future Republican Star” and “a real WINNER!” in a tweet.
Greene has drawn backlash from some GOP lawmakers and put the party in a difficult position during an election year where control of the White House and Congress are at stake. But top Republicans are now backing her after she defeated John Cowan in a runoff.
Top House Republican leaders were silent on Greene’s victory Tuesday night and didn’t weigh in for hours on Wednesday morning, but then offered an endorsement in response to questions from CNN.
A McCarthy spokesperson, who declined to be named, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that House Republicans “look forward” to Greene’s victory in November.
“We look forward to Georgians Andrew Clyde and Marjorie Taylor Greene — and all of our Republican candidates across the country — winning in November so that we can enact policies to renew the American dream, restore our way of life, and rebuild the greatest economy in the world,” the statement said, adding, “It’s clear that the Democrat Party does not share those goals,” and specifically criticizing former Vice President Joe Biden, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Minority Whip Steve Scalise and GOP conference chair Liz Cheney have not yet commented publicly on Greene’s win or said if they plan to support her candidacy after her primary runoff victory.
In one indication that the win has divided Republicans, GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois tweeted a rebuke of the QAnon conspiracy theory on Wednesday, saying there is “no place in Congress for these conspiracies.”
“Qanon is a fabrication. This ‘insider’ has predicted so much incorrectly (but people don’t remember PAST predictions) so now has switched to vague generalities. Could be Russian propaganda or a basement dweller. Regardless, no place in Congress for these conspiracies,” he tweeted.
Greene’s primary runoff win against Cowan took place in a solidly Republican district, which puts her in a strong position to win a congressional seat in the fall. That puts national Republicans in the difficult spot of how to respond and how much to support her.
Asked on Wednesday if he had concerns about Greene’s nomination, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, a top GOP Senate leader, said: “I barely understand Missouri politics, I sure don’t understand Georgia politics.”