President Trump hailed QAnon supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene as a “future Republican Star” after her victory in the Republican primary runoff for Georgia’s 14 Congressional District, which she is heavily favored to win.
“Congratulations to future Republican Star Marjorie Taylor Greene on a big Congressional primary win in Georgia against a very tough and smart opponent,” Trump tweeted Wednesday. “Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up – a real WINNER!”
Greene is known nationally for promoting QAnon conspiracy theories. Greene called the movement “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to fight a “global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles.”
The online movement surfaced on internet message boards in 2017 with posts by a self-proclaimed government insider identified as “Q.” An internal FBI report from 2019 included QAnon in a list of “anti-government, identity-based, and fringe political conspiracy theories” that could “very likely motivate some domestic extremists to commit criminal, sometimes violent activity.”
Greene’s victory on Tuesday in a district that strongly favors Republicans has her well-placed to become QAnon’s first supporter in Congress.
In videos posted to Facebook, Greene suggested that Muslims should not serve in government.
Elected members should not be able to take the oath of office with a Quran, Greene said. “No! You have to be sworn in on the Bible.”
In 2018, she called the election of Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, “an Islamic invasion of our government.”
A statement from a spokesperson for House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy disavowed her comments at the time, calling them “appalling.” House Minority Whip Steve Scalise condemned Greene’s remarks and endorsed her opponent.
In her bid to replace five-term Republican Rep. Tom Graves, Greene will face off against Democrat Kevin Van Ausdal on Nov. 3. Graves said last year he would not seek a sixth term in the heavily Republican district, rated R+27 by the Cook Political Report.
