Fringe Candidates on Ballot in Seven States
Among the thousands of candidates for political office who are brought out by every election cycle, there are almost always a number from the ideological fringe. This year, a mid-term election that could give control of the Senate (and therefore, both houses of Congress) to the Republican Party, is no exception. Here鈥檚 a brief roundup of a few:
Richard Bunck, Town Council, Apple Valley, Calif.: Bunck was once a member of the neo-Nazi National Socialist White People鈥檚 Party, and was mentored by racist Christian Identity pastor John Hale McGee.
Robert Ransdell (write-in), U.S. Senate, Kentucky: Ransdell is a former regional coordinator for the neo-Nazi National Alliance and flaunts campaign signs that say, 鈥淲ith Jews We Lose.鈥�
Jerry DeLemus, sheriff, Strafford County, N.H.: DeLemus is a local Tea Party activist whose wife is a state representative and head of a Tea Party chapter. He attended a meeting geared to forming a militia last year.
Michael Peroutka (R), County Council, Anne Arundel County, Md.: Peroutka is an attorney who runs the far-right Institute on the Constitution. He also has been a board member of the neo-Confederate League of the South, which calls for a second Southern secession, formation of a white-dominated country, and an end to interracial marriage.
Jody Hice (R), U.S. Congress, Georgia: Hice wants to deny First Amendment protection to Muslims; believes in the false idea that states have the right to nullify federal laws; has compared homosexuality to alcoholism and drug addiction; and believes women should get their husbands鈥� permission before running for office.
Gordon Klingenschmitt (R), state legislature, Colorado: Klingenschmitt believes that demonic spirits cause homosexuality and abortion and that the Federal Communications Commission, by not tightening decency standards, is allowing demons to 鈥渕olest and visually rape鈥� children. He has also claimed that gay people cannot serve in the military due to having to take breaks during battle to change their diapers because their 鈥渢reacherous sin鈥� causes them to 鈥渓ose their bowels.鈥�
Joni Ernst (R), U.S. Senate, Iowa: Ernst has endorsed nullifying the Affordable Care Act and imprisoning federal officials who attempt to implement it; endorsed impeaching President Obama; and claimed that the United Nations is forcing Agenda 21鈥攁 1992 non-binding resolution encouraging countries to be more environmentally sustainable鈥攐n Iowa farmers, something that will supposedly result in their land being taken away. s
