Extremist Candidates Appear on Ballots Across Multiple States Ahead of Midterms

A new review of candidates for statewide and federal offices reveals that extremist rhetoric has entered many ballots for the November midterms. Data from the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights shows over 500 state-legislator hopefuls are members of far-right Facebook groups advocating militias, gun rights and Christian nationalism. Notable contests include Bo French, whose racist posts about South Asian students have drawn criticism from Texas senators, and Mark Lamb, a former sheriff with ties to paramilitary groups now running in Arizona’s 5th district.

In Texas’s 23rd district, former “guntuber” Brandon Herrera, who has repeatedly used sexist and antisemitic language, is the GOP nominee. Georgia’s Senate race pits Trump-endorsed Mike Collins, linked to staff who have exchanged antisemitic insults and communicated with known white supremacists, against incumbent Jon Ossoff. Florida’s 10th-district House race features Marshall Rawson, who marched at the Charlottesville rally and has posted racist remarks. Scholars say one outlet administration’s embrace of extremist figures has given these candidates a “permission slip” to adopt language that would have been unthinkable in earlier GOP eras.