Marjorie Taylor Greene defeated fellow Republican John Cowan in the run-up to the 14th Congressional District of Georgia, and her victory in the solid Republican district of Georgia means Greene is only certain to elect herself to Washington.
What started three years ago as conspiracy theory born on the dark fringes of the internet has moved into the mainstream with candidates like Greene promoting and promoting QAnon theories and phrases as they seek political offices on a big party card .
It is unclear who was behind the messages, or if those who followed were posted by the same person – but followers believe that “Q” is knowledge because of their claim to security clearance within the U.S. government.
In addition to Greene, a few other candidates on the November ballot expressed support or sympathy with QAnon, without calling themselves a direct believer.
Marjorie Taylor Greene
Greene had praised the mythical Q as a “patriot” in a 2017 video and described the collusion theory as “something worth listening to and paying attention to.”
She added, “He’s someone who loves his country very much, and he’s on the same page as us, and he’s very pro-Trump.”
During a primary debate, Greene was asked if she was a successor to QAnon. She responded by saying in part, “I’m doing my loyalty to the United States of America. I, like many Americans, am distrustful of the Deep State that has launched an attempt to oust President Trump. ” She added, “Yes, I am against all those things and I will work hard against those problems.”
Jo Rae Perkins
In May, Jo Rae Perkins won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Oregon as an unabashed QAnon theory supporter. Perkins, however, faces a tough race to win against introduced Democrat Sen. Mark Merkley.
In a video posted to Twitter after her victory, she showed support for QAnon.
“Wherever we get one, we all go,” she said, using the catch grass of the conspiracy. “I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team. Thank you Annons and thank Patriots – and together we can preserve our republic.”
She posted a video of her later in June taking the oath of allegiance.
Lauren Boebert
Their win was immediately met with criticism from Democrats, who pointed to comments they made that appeared to sympathize with QAnon.
Campaign manager Sherronna Bishop previously told CNN that Boebert was not a follower of QAnon. “She is very pleased that the (Inspector General) and the (Attorney General) are investigating the Deep State,” Bishop said. “She does not follow QAnon.”
But Boebert appeared on an online talk show, Steel Truth, hosted by a leading supplier of the theory, Ann Vandersteel, and said that although the QAnon issue “is more my mother’s thing,” she said she was nevertheless “very well known” is with it “and that they ‘hope[s] that this is real. ”
“I’m used to it. And so that’s my mother’s thing. She’s a little frank. I’m trying uh, I’m just trying to keep things on track and positive. However, I’m very familiar with it,” she said. add, “Everything I heard from Q – I hope this is true, because it only means that America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values, and that’s what I’m for.
QAnon, she said, “is only motivating and encouraging and bringing people together, stronger, and if this is real, then it can be really great for our country.”
CNN’s Paul P. Murphy, Michael Warren, Clare Foran and Paul Le Blanc contributed to this report.
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