15 QAnon-linked candidates have won key primaries in 2022. The GOP and its leaders are embracing them.

Those 15 candidates have raised $20 million this election cycle, much of it from small donors. Overall, QAnon-linked candidates received nearly 70 percent of their donations from small donors — much more than traditional lawmakers or political groups, like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) or the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Federal Election Commission records show.

When a QAnon-linked candidate wins their primary, however, that changes, as well-funded GOP groups and senior party figures rush in with support.

Establishment GOP embraces Q candidates

Major Republican groups jumped to back businessman J.R. Majewski following his May 3 primary victory, despite his Q ties and apparent extreme beliefs. The day after his win, the NRCC gave $5,000 to Majewski’s campaign, FEC records show.

The NRCC did not respond to Grid’s phone calls and emails requesting comment.

Majewski also collected $5,000 donations from House Republican Whip Steve Scalise’s (La.) Eye of the Tiger PAC and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) Save America Stop Socialism PAC.

Grid repeatedly sought comment from Scalise and Greene, Eye of the Tiger PAC, Save America Stop Socialism PAC. None would speak with Grid about their support for Q-affiliated candidates.

After his primary victory in June, Air Force combat veteran and businessman Sam Peters — who has tweeted the hashtag “#QArmy” and supportive comments for other Q-linked candidates — is in a toss-up race against incumbent Rep. Steven Horsford in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. He did not respond to Grid’s requests for comment.

Florida and Arizona are major QAnon battlegrounds

The two states with the largest contingents of QAnon-linked candidates, Arizona and Florida, will hold their primary elections in August. Ballots for primary elections on Aug. 2 in Arizona and Aug. 23 in Florida will include 17 QAnon-linked candidates for statewide or congressional office, and at least 10 candidates for seats in state legislatures.

Candidates see a boost from a conference organized by QAnon influencers

Finchem, Karamo and Marchant did not respond to requests for comment.

Running with Q in deep blue

But experts say conspiracy theory-driven candidates can exert outsized influence. In the 2020 elections, QAnon helped propel the ascent of Greene and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., who have since become household names and shifted the boundaries of acceptability in American political discourse.

Many of the candidates who advanced from primary elections are running in firmly blue districts and face long odds in November.

The United States is being run by a satanic cabal of human traffickers and pedophile predators, working in conjunction other world leaders, to establish a one world order. I will do everything within my power to oppose this.

Among them is Mike Cargile, whose second-place finish in the open primary for California’s 35th Congressional District seat will earn him a place on the ballot in the general election facing incumbent Democratic Rep. Norma Torres.

“I have never deviated in my stance on this issue,” Cargile said in response to questions from Grid about his position on QAnon. “The United States is being run by a satanic cabal of human traffickers and pedophile predators, working in conjunction other world leaders, to establish a one world order. I will do everything within my power to oppose this.”

Voters in southern California will also find a QAnon-linked candidate on their ballots. Omar Navarro finished second in the primary for the 43rd Congressional District and will face off against longtime incumbent Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters in November.

“My relationship with this movement is to expose the dark human trafficking agenda in Hollywood and D.C.,” Navarro said in response to questions from Grid. “I stand by anything I said in the past. I like how media makes everyone who believes in it sounds [sic] crazy.”

Joseph Uscinski, a professor of political science at the University of Miami, said QAnon is part of a long tradition of conspiracist thinking in American politics, but that it is getting more attention than usual.

“It seems pretty clear to me that Trump and other politicians have used conspiracy theories far more than they’ve been used by our political leaders in the past,” he said.

Some candidates enter tight races

In a handful of races, QAnon-linked candidates have scored primary victories that position them for a serious shot at a congressional seat.

Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Texas, has already taken office due to her victory in a special election in June. Although Flores had used QAnon slogans in social media posts in the past, she has backed away from the conspiracy theory since taking office. She declined Grid’s requests to speak for this story.

Due to Texas’ congressional redistricting, Flores will be running for reelection in Texas’ 34th Congressional District in November against fellow incumbent Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas. The general election race for the newly drawn district is considered Democratic-leaning but competitive, according to Cook Political Report.

At least two other QAnon-linked candidates who already won their primaries are in general election races deemed toss-ups by Cook Political Report.

In Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, Majewski will face off against incumbent Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, who has held office since 1983. Although Kaptur is one of the longest-serving members of Congress, the Toledo-area district is competitive this cycle due to redistricting.

In rare cases, QAnon-linked candidates are receiving boosts from Democratic groups, who apparently see political benefit to helping fringe right-wing candidates win their primaries.

In addition to Cox, far-right Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who has spread QAnon references and false claims about the results of the 2020 election, won the GOP primary with the aid of ads funded by state Democratic groups.

“I don’t have a relationship with QAnon”

Some candidates in the remaining primary races told Grid they are openly supportive of Q, the ostensible messenger who has made the anonymous internet posts propelling the movement.

“I am considered part of the Q movement because I have put ‘Where We Go One We Go All’ on my campaign website,” Florida congressional candidate Christine Scott said in a response to Grid. “Q is right and I like the [poignant] phrase: Where We Go One, We Go All! Yes, I absolutely stand by it, just like I stand by my love for family, my flag and my country … and Rocky Road Ice Cream!”

Other candidates whose campaigns have spread QAnon-associated material, however, said they did not have any connection to the conspiracy theory.

“I don’t have a relationship with QAnon,” Prempeh told Grid. “I don’t even know what the fuck it is.”

Johnny Teague, the GOP nominee in Texas’ 7th Congressional District, told Grid in an email he is “not associated with QAnon,” that the QAnon material shared by his campaign’s Twitter account was posted by a campaign manager and that he “had her take it down.”

“I am sure QAnon are good American loving citizens,” Teague said. “I just don’t know much about them and have been too busy to do anything but meet the needs of our District.”

While some candidates are careful to distance themselves from the conspiracy theory, it’s increasingly difficult to tell the difference between the central tenets of QAnon and many ideas that have entered conventional political discourse, said Mike Rothschild, author of “The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything.”

Many of QAnon’s core beliefs, Rothschild said, “such as the election being stolen by the ‘deep state’ using covid, pedophile rings running the world, secret battles between good and evil that are actually fought in public, are very popular and very mainstream now.”