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Much attention has been focused on the presidential race this year, but down-ballot there were over one hundred far-right candidates in the November 2020 election. Overall, it was not a good night for far-right candidates

The Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights tracked 107 far-right affiliated candidates in the 2020 general election—54 for federal seats, 53 for state office. As of November 4, 21 far-right candidates were victorious.

Just six of 54 far-right federal candidates won (three incumbents, three newly elected), while four races have not yet been called. At the state level, 15 of 53 far-right candidates won (nine incumbents, six newly elected).

At the federal level, there were far-right candidates in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.

Among the notable victors was incumbent Matt Gaetz (R-Florida 1) who won with 64.6% of the vote. Gaetz, a favorite of the far-right across the spectrum, is notable for recently having Proud Boys perform security at a campaign event. Also boasting a Proud Boys link, Cord Byrd (R-Florida 11) retained his seat with 68.2% of the vote. Cord’s wife Esther Byrd is notable for defending the Proud Boys, while Cord was recently photographed with friends on a boat waving the Qanon flag.

Another Q aficionado, Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado 3) won her race with 51.1% of the vote. In addition to having expressed that she hoped the Qanon is real, and later backpedaling on the topic, Boebert tweeted “I am the militia,” posed with paramilitary activists, and had militia groups perform security at an event. Incumbent Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana 3), known for speaking an Oath Keepers event and peddling Three Percenter t-shirts at a past campaign event, won with 67.8% of the vote to keep his House seat.

Qanon conspiracy theorist Marjory Taylor Greene (R-Georgia 14) handily won her strong Republican district with 74.8% of the vote. Madison Cawthorn (R-North Carolina 11) won with 54.5% of the vote despite, or because of, having assailed a critic that he alleges “quit his academia job in Boston to work for non-white males, like Cory Booker who aims to ruin white males.”

Most notable among the losers was anti-Muslim figure, conspiracy theorist, and Proud Boys fellow traveler Laura Loomer (R-Florida 21), who lost handily with 39.2% of the vote.

Among those races not called as of press time are US Senate candidate John James (R-Michigan), who received donations from and was photographed with the leader of the America Patriot Council, the organizer of a rally at which some far-right paramilitarists allegedly discussed a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Others not yet called include Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas 24), a frequent guest on the radio show of the anti-Muslim Center for Security Policy; Burgess Owens (R-Utah 4), who has flirted with the Qanon conspiracy; and Nick Freitas (R-Virginia 7) who embraced an endorsement from the militia-supporting Gun Owners of America.

At the state level, IREHR tracked 52 different far-right candidates in the November 2020 General Election. Far-right candidates appeared on the November ballot in 25 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Far-right candidates ran for a variety of state elected positions, including governor, state house and senate seats, and the state board of education. Candidates represented seven different political parties including 38 Republican Party, 4 Constitution Party, 3 US Taxpayers / Constitution Party, 2 Libertarian Party, 2 Conservative Party, 2 Independent, and 1 Aloha Aina Party.

Of the 52 candidates, 15 candidates won (9 incumbents and 6 newly elected). Two of those candidates ran unopposed. Four of ten state-level militia supporting candidates won, all in Idaho. Of the 24 Qanon conspiracy-backing candidates on the list, 5 were elected (of those, only 2 were newly elected).

Federal-Level Far-Right Candidates

Name State Position District Party Category Election Result Percent For
Daniel Wood Arizona US House 3 Republican Qanon Loss 34.8%
Josh Barnett Arizona US House 7 Republican Qanon Loss 22.7%
Alison Hayden California US House 15 Republican Qanon Loss 27.2%
Buzz Patterson California US House 7 Republican Qanon Loss 39%
Erin Cruz California US House 36 Republican Qanon Loss 37.7%
Mike Cargile California US House 35 Republican Qanon Loss 29.6%
Nikka Piterman California US House 13 Republican Qanon Loss 9%
Agnes Gibboney California US House 31 Republican Tea Party Loss 36.7%
Lauren Boebert Colorado US House 3 Republican Qanon Win 51.1%
Catherine Purcell Delaware US House At-large Independent Qanon Loss 1.4%
Lauren Witzke Delaware US Senate Republican Proud Boys, White Nationalist Loss 37.9%
Christine Quinn Florida US House 14 Republican Qanon Loss 39.8%
Matt Gaetz Florida US House 1 Republican Proud Boys Win 64.6%
Cord Byrd Florida US House 11 Republican Qanon Win 68.2%
K.W. Miller Florida US House 18 Independent Qanon Loss 2.2%
Laura Loomer Florida US House 21 Republican Anti-Muslim, Conspiracy Theorist Loss 39.2%
Lavern Spicer Florida US House 24 Republican Qanon Loss 20.4%
Angela Stanton-King Georgia US House 5 Republican Qanon Loss 15%
Derrick Grayson Georgia US Senate Republican Qanon Loss 1.1%
Johsie Cruz Ezammudeen Georgia US House 4 Republican Qanon Loss 20.6%
Marjorie Taylor Greene Georgia US House 14 Republican Qanon Win 74.8%
Ron Curtis Hawaii US House 1 Republican Qanon Loss 27.6%
Ray Writz Idaho US Senate Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 1.2%
Marvin Richardson (Pro-Life) Idaho US House 1 Independent Christian nationalist Loss 2.2%
Philanise White Illinois US House 1 Republican Qanon Loss 27.3%
Theresa Raborn Illinois US House 2 Republican Qanon Loss 23.5%
Ben Gibson Louisiana US House 4 Republican Qanon Loss 6.3%
Clay Higgins Louisiana US House 3 Republican Militia Win 67.8%
Rayla Campbell Massachusetts US House 7 Republican (write-in) Qanon Loss 0.8 (all write-ins)
Shiva Ayyadurai Massachusetts US Senate Republican (write-in) Qanon Loss <1%
Tracy Lovvorn Massachusetts US House 2 Republican Qanon Loss 34.6%
John James Michigan US Senate Republican Militia Not called 49.3%
Valerie Willis Michigan US Senate US Taxpayers/Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 0.9%
Gerald Van Sickle Michigan US House 2 US Taxpayers/Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 0.6%
Articia Bomer Michigan US House 13 US Taxpayers/Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 0.7%
Alex Furman Missouri US House 1 Libertarian Proud Boys Loss 2.1%
Dustin Hobbs Nebraska US House 3 Libertarian Militia Loss 3.8%
Joyce Bentley Nevada US House 1 Republican Qanon Loss 34.5%
Billy Prempeh New Jersey US House 9 Republican Qanon Loss 30.7%
Frank Pallotta New Jersey US House 5 Republican Militia Loss 41.2%
Antoine Tucker New York US House (write-in) 14 Republican Qanon Loss 0%
Madison Cawthorn North Carolina US House 11 Republican Racist Win 54.5%
Kevin Hayes North Carolina US Senate Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 1.2%
Rob Weber Ohio US House 9 Republican Qanon Loss 37%
Alek Skarlatos Oregon US House 4 Republican Far-right general Loss 46.3%
Jo Rae Perkins Oregon US Senate Republican Qanon Loss 38.8%
Bob Lancia Rhode Island US House 2 Republican Qanon Loss 42.3%
Johnny Teague Texas US House 9 Republican Qanon Loss 21.6%
Beth Van Duyne Texas US House 24 Republican Anti-Muslim Not called 48.8%
Don Blankenship US President Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 1.2%
Jo Jorgensen US President Libertarian Militia Loss
Burgess Owens Utah US House 4 Republican Qanon Not called 46%
Daniel Clyde Cummings Utah US House 3 Constitution Christian nationalist Loss 2.2%
Nick Freitas Virginia US House 7 Republican Far-Right Second Amendment Not called

 

 

State-Level Far-Right Candidates

Name State Position District Party Incumbent Category Election Result Percent of Vote
Al Pisano North Carolina Governor Constitution No Christian nationalist Loss 0.40%
Amber Krabach Washington House 45-position 2 Republican No Qanon Loss 30.60%
Anthony Sabatini Florida House 32 Republican Yes Qanon Win 56%
Arthur Schaper California Assembly 66 Republican No Anti-LGBTQ Loss 36.30%
Bill Bruch Washington House 10-Position 2 Republican No Militia Loss* 47.80%
Brian Redmond Maine House 148 Republican No Qanon Loss* 43.10%
Chad Christensen Idaho House 32B Republican Yes Militia Win 75.10%
Christy Zito Idaho Senate 23 Republican No* Militia Win 76.30%
Citlalli Johanna Decker Hawaii House 5 Aloha Aina Party No Qanon Loss 7.60%
Cynthia Taylor-Hollandbeck New Hampshire House Rockingham 28 Republican No Qanon Loss 37.80%
David Armstrong Wisconsin Assembly 75 Republican No White nationalist affiliation Win* 62.40%
Dion Bergeron Indiana House 9 Republican No Qanon
Douglas Levesque Michigan State Board of Education US Taxpayers/Constitution No Christian nationalist Loss
Elizabeth Bangert Minnesota Senate 19 Republican No Qanon Loss 40.10%
Eric Berthel Connecticut Senate 32 Republican Yes Qanon Win Uncontested
Eric Parker Idaho Senate 26 Republican No Militia Loss* 43.60%
Gary Heyer Minnesota House 50B Republican No Qanon Loss 37.00%
Greg Gianforte Montana Governor Republican No Anti-LGBTQ Win 54.10%
Heather Scott Idaho House 1A Republican Yes Militia Win 59.60%
James Hafeman Michigan House 109 US Taxpayers/Constitution No Christian nationalist Loss 1.40%
Joe Thalman Minnesota House 49B Republican No Qanon Loss 37.70%
Joey Tiano New Mexico Senate 39 Republican No Qanon Loss* 44.70%
John Cardiff Gerhardt Nevada Assembly 12 Independent No Qanon Loss* 2.80%
Judy Boyle Idaho House 9B Republican Yes Militia Win 73.80%
Julie Buria Minnesota House 6B Republican No Qanon Loss 45.20%
Julie Dupre Minnesota Senate 49 Republican No Qanon Loss 37.10%
Justin DeFillippo New York Senate 23 Conservative No Qanon Loss 23.10%
Justine Wadsack Arizona Senate 10 Republican No Qanon Loss 40%
Karen Adams Michigan State Board of Education Constitution No Christian nationalist Loss
Kevin Bushey Maine House 151 Republican No Qanon Loss* 56.40%
Loren Culp Washington Governor Republican No Militia Loss 40.50%
Madeline Kazantzis Utah Governor (write-in) No Far-right general Loss
Mark Finchem Arizona House 11 Republican Yes Militia
Mark Gilham California Assembly 22 Republican No Qanon Loss 22.80%
Mark Gillen Pennsylvania House 128 Republican Yes Far-right general Win Uncontested
Mark Szuszkiewicz New York Assembly 46 Conservative No Qanon Win* 54.30%
Melissa Moore Minnesota House 46B Republican No Qanon Loss 26.30%
Mike Nearman Oregon House 23 Republican Yes Anti-immigrant Win 54.40%
Nathan Foutch Colorado House 18 Libertarian No Militia Loss 3.30%
Nicholas Ochs Hawaii House 22 Republican No Proud Boys Loss 31.90%
Paul Venable Missouri Secretary of State Constitution No Far-right second amendment Loss 0.40%
Rob Chase Washington House 4-Position 2 Republican No Christian nationalist Win 61.10%
Roger Roots Montana State Auditor Libertarian No Qanon Loss 5.10%
Ron Muzzal Washington Senate 10 Republican Yes Militia
Ryan Musick Illinois House 113 Constitution No Militia Loss 11.70%
Sev Palacios North Carolina Senate 21 Republican No Christian nationalist Loss 32.10%
Susan Lynn Tennessee House 57 Republican Yes Qanon Win 69.20%
Suzanne Sharer Arizona Senate 18 Republican No Qanon Loss 39.50%
Tammy Nichols Idaho House 11B Republican Yes Qanon Win 79.80%
Theodore Gerard Michigan House 73 US Taxpayers/Constitution No Militia Loss 1.30%
Vince Gagliardo Jr. Pennsylvania House 127 Republican No Christian nationalist Loss* 27%
Wendy Rogers Arizona Senate 6 Republican No Anti-immigrant Win* 53.70%

* = race called by some outlets, but not official result as of publication.

Chuck Tanner

Chuck Tanner is an Advisory Board member and researcher for the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. He lives in Washington State where he researches and works to counter white nationalism and the anti-Indian and other far right social movements.

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