Media Matters’ Alex Kaplan explains spread of QAnon conspiracy theory in GOP congressional politics for On the Media

More than 60 current or former congressional candidates in 2020 have embraced the conspiracy theory

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Media Matters senior researcher Alex Kaplan appeared on WNYC’s On The Media to discuss the spread of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory, including the 60-plus current or former 2020 congressional candidates who have embraced it in some manner. 

Kaplan also explained that some candidates have begun to view online supporters of the conspiracy theory -- which has been tied to violence and warned about by the FBI -- as a political constituency to appeal to for support, and he discussed the importance of media pointing out the conspiracy theory’s spread. 

From the July 17, 2020, edition of WNYC’s On The Media:

BOB GARFIELD (HOST): You name some of the true believers. Let’s talk about the Q-lite candidates who just appear to be throwing red Q’s to the base.

ALEX KAPLAN (MEDIA MATTERS SENIOR RESEARCHER): Yeah, so maybe rather than being true believers, they seem to see QAnon supporters, the conspiracy theory, as kind of a way to reap some type of political benefit. And there’s one other candidate in California, her name’s Erin Cruz, that made it to November, that’s been pretty open about this. She told NBC last year that basically you can’t ignore QAnon people, they’re kind of a base of voters just like everyone else. And there’s been others like Lauren Boebert in Colorado.

…

She has gone on a show run by a QAnon supporter and made positive comments about QAnon.

...

GARFIELD: It kind of looks like [Boebert] was going to use it as much as she could to win the nomination, and now she’s trying to backtrack and disassociate herself now that she’s made it to the general election.

KAPLAN: I think that’s right. There’s a feeling maybe in Republican primaries that these supporters maybe can be a political benefit, but the flip side of that is that if you reach the general, suddenly maybe they’re not so beneficial and can be a liability.

…

GARFIELD: Many have argued that the press invented the Trump presidency, that he is our fault. So, if we call a thing by its name, and QAnon candidates for their conduct, do we merely succeed in transmitting the virus?

KAPLAN: So there’s a concern about amplification of misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories, whether by amplifying it you’re making the problem worse. But a tipping point would be where the benefits of warning about this, trying to let people know that this is an issue, outweigh the concerns about amplification. And in my opinion we are well beyond the tipping point on this, well beyond it. QAnon’s been around for a few years. There have been so many people that have embraced it or at least hinted at it that you have to talk about it, you have to point this out, you have to warn about it.