The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is unveiling its first major TV and digital campaign of the 2022 cycle with a focus on Republicans who have refused to stand up to QAnon conspiracies that featured prominently in the Capitol riot last month.
“Washington Republicans have made their choice – they chose to cave to the murderous QAnon mob that has taken over their party,” DCCC Chair Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) said in a news release announcing the ads Tuesday.
The effort comes as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) — a promoter of QAnon theories — painted herself as a victim amid a growing onslaught of criticism for incendiary and false remarks on a broad spectrum of issues. That includes endorsing violence against Democratic lawmakers, according to a recent CNN report, and the suggestion that some school shootings were “false-flag” operations.
The DCCC’s 30-second TV ads and digital spots are expected to target seven House Republicans in vulnerable seats for having “stood with Q, not you.” The DCCC will also dedicate an ad targeting House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
The more than $500,000 campaign is expected to take particular aim at an unwillingness among a majority of House Republicans to hold President Trump responsible for inciting the Capitol riot, in addition to the dangerous mainstreaming of falsehoods perpetuated by the GOP through fact-free conspiracies.
“Washington Republicans are trying to have it both ways – refusing to hold those responsible for the attack on the Capitol accountable, offering nothing but empty words after years of hyping up lies and conspiracy theories,” Maloney said in the release.
According to DCCC, ads will target Republican Reps. Mike Garcia (CA), Young Kim (CA), Michelle Steel (CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Don Bacon (NE), Beth Van Duyne (TX) and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL).
Greene, Congress’ biggest QAnon booster, hails from a conservative district and essentially ran unopposed after her Democratic opponent dropped out of the race ahead of Election Day.
One ad targeting Garcia explicitly cites the QAnon conspiracy as a doctrine born online that “took over the Republican Party” and “sent followers to Congress” to attack the Capitol with the help of Trump’s dangerous rhetoric.
“Then Trump and Republicans in Congress sided with the violent QAnon mob,” the ad aimed at Garcia says.
The DCCC said that ads targeting McCarthy, who has been widely criticized for inaction to address Greene specifically, and the growing threat of conspiracy theories in his caucus more broadly, will also run in Washington, D.C.
