Rep. Paul Gosar under bipartisan fire for again defending white nationalist

Rep. Paul Gosar is again under fire on social media for his apparent continuing support of an extremist who’s been labeled a white nationalist.

Gosar, R.-Ariz., shared a movie trailer for "The Most Canceled Man in America," a new documentary about Nick Fuentes, whom the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as a white nationalist.

The film frames him as a target of the government after his involvement in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot and other protests.

Gosar previously has supported, and then tried to distance himself from, Fuentes, an extreme far-right figure in the Republican realm.

The Anti-Defamation League says Fuentes is a white supremacist leader and organizer who has used his online platforms for anti-Semitic and racist comments.

“The persecution against Christians and Conservatives by the Biden Regime brings great dishonor to our country,” Gosar wrote on Twitter Friday, sharing an August trailer for the movie featuring Fuentes. “If Americans do not have the freedom to dissent, then they have no freedom at all.”

Thomas Galvin, a Republican on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, wrote on Twitter a scathing response to Gosar’s post.

“Nick Fuentes is not a conservative and his racist and anti-Semitic rants don’t hint of Christian values. Paul, you are an extremist consumed by conspiracy theories when you should be working on real issues that matter to AZ. Enough is enough. Real AZ Republicans are sick of this,” Galvin wrote.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D.-Ariz., also ripped Gosar.

“Paul, Nick Fuentes is a white supremacist and incel why are you defending someone like that ? What is about him that made you want to defend him,” Gallego tweeted. “I would say to all these incels and Fuente supporters to get off the internets it’s Friday go out and have fun..but this is their extent of social interaction.”

Gosar is seeking a seventh term in Congress but is unopposed on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. He faces challenges only from write-in candidates in Arizona’s 9th Congressional District.

Paul Gosar's history with Nick Fuentes

This is not the first time Gosar has been tied to Fuentes, who has been banned from YouTube for repeatedly violating rules against hate speech. He also has been banned from Twitter and elsewhere.

Gosar has in the past promoted or defended Fuentes, gotten criticism, and then tried to distance himself, and that cycle may be continuing.

In June 2021, Gosar was reportedly planning a fundraising event with Fuentes, having earlier in the year skipped a vote on a COVID-19 relief bill to attend a far-right conference held by Fuentes.

At the start of the year, Gosar defended Fuentes on Gab, a social networking site that attracts the ultra-right-wing.

Gosar wrote: “The phony January 6th Committee’s partisan witch-hunt continues as they have now set their sights on young conservative Christians like Nick Fuentes. This is pure political persecution and it has to stop. @realnickjfuentes." Fuentes responded: "Thank you Congressman!"

But then in April, Gosar tried to make distance with Fuentes, saying he didn’t intend to make a video greeting for the white nationalist’s annual conference, even though he went in-person the year before. He said he didn’t know about Fuentes’ background before going to his 2021 conference.

“I've given up … on dealing with Nick. Nick's got a problem with his mouth,” Gosar said in April.

Republic reporters Ronald J. Hansen and Tara Kavaler contributed to this article.  

Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar under fire for defending white nationalist