In QAnon-linked US candidates, populism meets conspiracy

At least 25 congressional candidates with links to the conspiracy web QAnon will appear on ballots on November 3. pic.twitter.com/Q3o9JGN4TJ — Philip Crowther October 4, 2020 Still, experts say, the number of candidates who have at times ascribed to QAnon, or other conspiracy theories, is directly connected to a president who has regularly railed against “deep state” actors trying to undermine his authority, who promoted several conspiracy theories during his candidacy and presidency, and who has continually demurred when asked to condemn QAnon and other fringe communities. And that’s exactly what conspiracy theories like QAnon address.” QAnon and Congress Of the current group of candidates, the most likely to attain national office is Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is running unopposed in a deep-red district of Georgia for an open House seat. https://t.co/NzVjbkkk8l — Matt Wolking August 12, 2020 Meanwhile, the Republican Party in Texas in July, according to the New York Times, released a new slogan lifted directly from QAnon: “We are the storm”. “If we have people who are willing to fall hook, line and sinker for this ridiculous train of conspiracy theories,” he said, “how do you think the most unstable, angry and violent people among us are going to conduct themselves as the political season as well as other societal stressors, become more inflamed?” He added: “QAnon is shifting from being an outlier to a bit of a bellwether of the fragmented, conspiratorial and bigoted politics that await us.”