WASHINGTON — According to a report released by the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights (IREHR), 872 Republican state legislators, including 39 Minnesota Republican state legislators, are members of far-right Facebook groups. Today’s Republican lawmakers belong to groups promoting conspiracy theories, disinformation, and bigotry – and later turn the hate they see online into policies that threaten our most fundamental liberties.
“Extremism and alt-right views are no longer a fringe of the GOP — instead, radical views are rapidly becoming the norm of the Republican Party,” said DLCC President Jessica Post. “Hate and division have become the GOP’s guiding light — and it has dangerous consequences for the future of our country. Electorally, the only way to challenge deadly extremism, protect our basic freedoms, and protect our democracy is to elect DFLers to the statehouse this fall.”
Read the IREHR report here.
On the heels of the racist attack in Buffalo, it is crystal clear that far-right radicalization is a threat to the health and safety of our country. Extremism has become a core tenet of the Republican Party, and it represents a threat to voting access, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, and the very safety of people of color in America.
Minnesota House Republicans in Far-Right Facebook Groups:
- Rep. Calvin Bahr (HD-31B)
- Rep. Dale Lueck (HD-10B)
- Rep. Duane Quam (HD-25A)
- Rep. Eric Lucero (HD-30B)
- Rep. Erik Mortensen (HD-55A)
- Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen (HD-18B)
- Rep. Greg Boe (HD-47B)
- Rep. Jeremy Munson (HD-23B)
- Rep. Jerry Hertaus (HD-33A)
- Rep. Jim Nash (HD-47A)
- Rep. John Heinrich (HD-35A)
- Rep. John Poston (HD-9A)
- Rep. Jon Koznick (HD-58A)
- Rep. Josh Heintzeman (HD-10A)
- Rep. Keith Franke (HD-54A)
- Rep. Marion O’Neill (HD-29B)
- Rep. Mary Franson (HD-8B)
- Rep. Nathan Nelson (HD-11B)
- Rep. Nolan West (HD-37B)
- Rep. Pat Garofalo (HD-58B)
- Rep. Paul Novotny (HD-30A)
- Rep. Peggy Scott (HD-35B)
- Rep. Ron Kresha (HD-9B)
- Rep. Shane Mekeland (HD-15B)
- Rep. Steve Drazkowski (HD-21B)
- Rep. Tama Theis (HD-14A)
Minnesota Senate Republicans in Far-Right Facebook Groups:
- Sen. Andrew Mathews (SD-15)
- Sen. Eric Pratt (SD-55)
- Sen. Jeff Howe (SD-13)
- Sen. Jim Abeler (SD-35)
- Sen. John Jasinski (SD-24)
- Sen. Julia Coleman (SD-47)
- Sen. Karin Housley (SD-39)
- Sen. Mark Koran (SD-32)
- Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer (SD-30)
- Sen. Paul Gazelka (SD-9)
- Sen. Rich Draheim (SD-20)
- Sen. Roger Chamberlain (SD-38)
- Sen. Zach Duckworth (SD-58)
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