Democrats Criticize GOP Candidate in California Who Said ‘Wokeism’ is Greater Threat Than World War II

The campaign arm of the House Democrats is going after California Republican congressional hopeful Scott Baugh for comments he made saying  “wokeism” poses a greater threat than the one presented by World War II.

In a speech Baugh made to the International Christian Ambassadors Association posted on YouTube in June, and first reported on by The Huffington Post, the former California Assembly Republican Leader says the “biggest threat to religious freedom” is “wokeism.”  

“We were born in the Revolutionary War, we survived civil wars, World War II, World War I — a lot of wars, 9/11. None of those were as threatening to our country compared to the war that we're fighting now. That war is about wokeism and the lack of common sense,” Baugh says in the video. He goes on to say that “wokeism,” has “infected our churches.” 

Baugh’s campaign pushed back against criticism, telling HuffPost that his comments were specifically referring to the threats facing religious freedom. 

“The loss of life in any traditional war is tragic and should be honored and respected,” Baugh campaign spokesperson Zach Freimark said in a statement, according to HuffPost. 

Still, the remarks garnered attention from Democrats who are looking to defend the competitive California seat, which is being vacated by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter who is now looking to fill Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat. 

“Scott Baugh’s disgusting culture war nonsense has gone too far,” said DCCC spokesperson Dan Gottlieb in a statement. “Service members and veterans deserve better than this offensive propagandist, and so does California’s 47th District.”

State Sen. Dave Min, who is also running for the seat as a Democrat, criticized Baugh for his comment as well. In a statement, Min called Baugh’s comments “despicable,” adding that they “denigrate the memories of the 2,996 Americans who died during the September 11 attacks.”

Porter’s seat sits in a highly competitive district that Republicans have targeted as a potential opportunity to flip as they look to maintain control of the House of Representatives during next year’s election. Currently, the Cook Political Report ranks the district as “Lean D.”