Arthur Jones, 70, was/is an avowed Nazi, Holocaust denier, at one time he was a President Trump supporter, and now he is a republican candidate for Congress, running to represent the 3rd district of Illinois.
This is not Jones’ first attempt at winning a place on the Hill, in 2012 Ballotpedia has him coming in 3rd during the primary, (11% 3,861), in 2016 he was removed from the ballot prior to the primary, but in 2018, Jones ran unopposed in the May 24th primary.
Friday Politico reported that “Illinois Republicans botched four opportunities to stop,” Jones from being on the November ballot.
According to the linked article, the state republican party, first, failed to knock Jones off the primary ballot, second, they failed to find a candidate to challenge Jones in the primary, third, they weren’t able to field a write-in candidate against him in the primary, fourth, the filing deadline to run a third-party candidate passed on Monday.
Conservative state Rep. David McSweeney told Politico,“First, it’s morally wrong and I think it’s really harmful to the party. The guy’s a complete nutcase. He’s a Nazi, this is an absolute political disaster.” The comments came just days after the deadline passed.
Aaron DeGroot an Illinois Republican Party spokesman told Politico the party plans to recruit and support a write-in candidate.
CNN reported in March right after the primary that Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider issued a statement, “The Illinois Republican Party and our country have no place for Nazis like Arthur Jones. We strongly oppose his racist views and his candidacy for any public office, including the 3rd Congressional District.”
The Democratic nominee for governor J.B. Pritzker, who was instrumental in building the Holocaust Museum in Skokie has called on Governor Bruce Rauner (R) to call on Jones to drop out, telling Politico in a statement, “Bruce Rauner has cowered to the worst elements of our politics on more than one occasion, but I sincerely hope he would agree that a self-proclaimed Nazi and Holocaust denier has no place as a candidate for any office in Illinois.”
Jones’ website, which will not be linked to, has tabs with one reading Holocaust? Which leads the reader to a article entitled, “The “Holocaust” Racket.”
Jones who once supported President Trump, according to The Times of Israel, in a speech at a rally he said, “I’m sorry I voted for the son of a bitch, pardon my English. He’s nothing but a puppet … this Jew-loving fool.”
Politico reached Jones by phone on Thursday he is quoted as telling the publication he is running to counter the “two-party, Jew-party, queer-party system.” When told the GOP failed to mount opposition against him, he laughed and said, “They didn’t put up a third-party candidate? That’s great! That’s fantastic!” adding, “I snookered them. I played by the rules, what can I say?”
Jones’ nomination isn’t the first open Nazi to run as a Republican, earlier this year, Patrick Little from CA ran for senator, he was kicked out of the party, he finished 13th in the primary, Ballotpedia lists his total as 71,973 1.33% Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) 2,389,763 44.22%.
Senator Ted Cruz weighed in via twitter
This is horrific. An avowed Nazi running for Congress. To the good people of Illinois, you have two reasonable choices: write in another candidate, or vote for the Democrat. This bigoted fool should receive ZERO votes. https://t.co/9WYlvCMKaF
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 29, 2018
Telling those in the third district to “write in a candidate or “vote for the Democrat.”
Rep Dainel Lipinski (D-Illinois) has held the 3rd district since 2005. He is favored to win.
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