Lauren Witzke, a conservative activist who previously tweeted a QAnon slogan, has used some of its hashtags and has been pictured wearing a T-shirt featuring the conspiracy theory, won the GOP Senate primary in Delaware on Tuesday.
Witzke defeated attorney James DeMartino on Tuesday night by a roughly 14-point margin. DeMartino’s defeat came after securing the support of establishment Republicans in the race.
Witzke’s campaign rallies behind an “America First” message that advocates for a 10-year moratorium on immigration.
“America First beat the GOP establishment tonight! Lets get ready take it to Chris Coons next!!” Witzke tweeted of her victory Tuesday night, adding: “Let’s Make America Great Again!”
The self-described staunch Republican and loyal supporter of President Donald Trump faces a tough climb against Sen. Chris Coons (D) who beat back a progressive challenger in his Tuesday primary.
The political newcomer has appeared in photos wearing a QAnon T-shirt and has used the QAnon slogan WWG1WGA (Where We Go One We Go All) in some of her Twitter hashtags.
Witzke has said she stopped promoting the theory, which has been labeled by the FBI as a domestic terror threat, telling the Associated Press in January, “I certainly think it’s more hype than substance.”
The conservative activist is not the first Republican candidate who has been questioned about ties with QAnon. GOP House candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously expressed support for the theory, was lauded by Trump as a rising Republican star and is now running unopposed for a congressional seat in a deep-red Georgia district.
Coons, a Biden ally, has served in the Senate since 2010 when he was was first elected to take over Joe Biden’s seat when the now Democratic presidential nominee was tapped for vice president. Coons comfortably won reelection in 2014.
