GOP Candidate Mocked for Cringey Attempt to Dodge Questions About White Nationalist Event She Attended

Last month, a number of conservative elected officials found themselves under fire for their participation in the America First Political Action Conference, or AFPAC—a gathering of white nationalists, led by vocal racist, homophobe, and antisemite Nick Fuentes.

As should've been expected, the event was riddled with incendiary rhetoric designed to boost support for racist and christofascist policies in the United States. At the event, Fuentes boasted that the "secret sauce" to their movement was "young white men." He also led chants in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, a U.S. ally

The most prominent officials at the event were Congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, both of whom were criticized by members of their own party for participating in the event.

Now, Idaho's far-right Lieutenant Governor and Republican gubernatorial candidate, Janice McGeachin, is facing similar scrutiny for her appearance at AFPAC.

Watch below.

McGeachin was repeatedly asked by persistent KTVB reporter Brian Holmes if she knew who Fuentes was ahead of the appearance.

What followed was a veritable word salad:

"Well, you know what? Nick Fuentes, as I said, I don't know him. I've never met him. I don't know, y'know, what is, what is everything that he says or doesn't say does not reflect on who I am or who the thousands of others that are participating in this movement."

When Holmes attempted to confirm that McGeachin hadn't looked Fuentes up prior to the appearance, she responded "I didn't say that." She clarified that she's looked him up since the incident.

McGeachin later added:

"It's not fair. I mean, the mainstream media, you do this to conservatives all the time, but you never do it to yourself. That any time there's any kind of affiliation with anybody at anytime on any stage, that we're all guilty by association. And it's not appropriate."

After Holmes continued pressing the issue, McGeachin ended the interview and walked away.

Social media users weren't buying her comments.

Others praised Holmes' line of questioning.

If McGeachin wins the Republican primary, she's almost certain to become the next governor of Idaho.