Hundreds of GOP candidates in November midterms tied to far-right groups, WIRED finds
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A WIRED review found hundreds of Republican candidates for statewide and federal office in the November midterms openly express hateful ideologies or have ties to white supremacist and antisemitic figures. Over 500 candidates for state legislator are members of far-right Facebook groups promoting militias, gun rights, and Christian nationalism, according to data from the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. The findings come as the Trump administration has openly embraced, endorsed, and defended many of these candidates.
Key Facts
- Over 500 candidates running for state legislator positions in November are members of far-right Facebook groups that promote militias, gun rights, and Christian nationalism, according to data collected by the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights.
- In 2025, terrorism and targeted violence incidents rose 19 percent compared to 2024, according to researchers at the University of Maryland.
- The US Capitol Police reported a 58 percent increase in threat assessment cases against members of Congress from 2024, the third consecutive year of increases.
- The US Marshals Service documented threats against almost 400 judges in 2025, a roughly 5 percent increase from the previous year.
- Bo French, the GOP candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, posted racist comments about students of South Asian descent celebrating a University of Texas at Austin football victory over Ohio State.
Extremist Candidates on the Ballot
A WIRED review of candidates running for statewide and federal positions in November, along with exclusive data on state-level candidates, reveals hundreds of Republican candidates who openly express virulently hateful ideologies, share racist content online, have close ties to white supremacist and antisemitic figures, and are members of far-right groups online. President Donald Trump and his administration have openly embraced, endorsed, and defended many of these candidates. Luke Baumgartner, a former research fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism, said the candidates are taking a page out of the Trump administration's playbook. Baumgartner claimed that many of the candidates running in November have been inspired by those in the White House, saying the executive branch has handed them a permission slip to say and do what would have been unthinkable during the George W. Bush, McCain, or Romney eras of the GOP.
Rising Political Threats
Extremist rhetoric has led to real world political threats, with terrorism and targeted violence incidents rising 19 percent in 2025 compared to 2024, according to researchers at the University of Maryland. The US Capitol Police reported an increase in threat assessment cases against members of Congress for the third year in a row, with a 58 percent increase from 2024. The US Marshals Service documented threats against almost 400 judges, a roughly 5 percent increase from the previous year.
Texas Railroad Commissioner Race
Bo French, the GOP candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, is so extreme that Republican strategist Karl Rove has said he would vote for a Democrat rather than supporting a bigot. Earlier this month, French posted racist comments about students celebrating at a University of Texas at Austin football game, writing alongside a picture of students of South Asian descent celebrating a victory over Ohio State: 'Like bodycam footage exposed criminals, social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners.' French added, 'It's everywhere and far worse than any of us could imagine.'
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