Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Eugene

(62,748 posts)
Sat Oct 5, 2024, 07:27 AM Oct 5

In Michigan, a ranting, QAnon-adjacent fired weatherman is trying to pass himself off as a moderate Republican

Source: The Independent

In Michigan, a ranting, QAnon-adjacent fired weatherman is trying to pass himself off as a moderate Republican

A swing-state candidate reveals the problem at the heart of MAGA Republicanism, John Bowden reports

1 day ago

-snip-

Two years later, Karl Bohnak is trying to stamp out the last refuge of Democratic representation on the Upper Peninsula, centered around the college town of Marquette, on a very similar message. The message has evolved — slightly — but the roots are still the same: a massive dose of skepticism for any kind of government oversight or regulations, and disdain for lawmakers in Lansing in general. It comes after a moderately successful bid to make it back on the air — no longer delivering weather reports, Bohnak was picked up by local station WZMQ in 2022 to provide historical weather analysis, a gig he dropped in early 2024 when he announced his bid for the state house.

And like so many other MAGA Republicans both presently and in past cycles, Bohnak exemplifies the kind of novice political firebrand whom GOP primary voters love but don’t translate so well to voters in general elections. That phenomenon was pretty directly blamed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2022 for his party’s inability to capture the upper chamber of Congress, when Republicans also did worse in House elections than its members had publicly predicted.

Bohnak’s team did not respond to a request for an interview for this piece. Instead, he has given a handful of interviews to local state outlets, where he has been open about his climate change denialism and in one discussion with a local news reporter described how he finally entered the race after hearing plans to turn the Upper Peninsula into what he called “the Saudi Arabia of wind and solar [energy]”.

Yet, in some appearances, Bohnak has played himself off as a middle-of-the-road candidate, clearly cognizant of the number of Democrats who still vote in Marquette. On Facebook, he has embraced a decidedly centrist hashtag: #PeninsulaOverParty.

“I am the alternative because basically, I’m a moderate, I am a centrist,” ...

-snip-

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/maga-karl-bohnak-michigan-trump-b2621577.html

Alternate link: https://news.yahoo.com/news/michigan-ranting-qanon-adjacent-fired-144044177.html

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
In Michigan, a ranting, QAnon-adjacent fired weatherman is trying to pass himself off as a moderate Republican (Original Post) Eugene Oct 5 OP
Mark my words: that's going to be the Republicans' MO Vogon_Glory Oct 5 #1
That's the new "moderate" in Republicanism. Wait 'til you meet the extremists! 😁 Wonder Why Oct 5 #2
LOL, dude should've moved to another county in the UP because Marquette County is the only catbyte Oct 6 #3

Vogon_Glory

(9,592 posts)
1. Mark my words: that's going to be the Republicans' MO
Sat Oct 5, 2024, 07:39 AM
Oct 5

for the next twenty years.

“I’m not an unhinged, quasi-fascist, Trump-loving, conspiracy-crazed lunatic detached from reality. I’m actually a moderate Republican!”



Unfortunately for them, once they post their cray-cray on the net, it stays there forever.

catbyte

(35,928 posts)
3. LOL, dude should've moved to another county in the UP because Marquette County is the only
Sun Oct 6, 2024, 12:29 PM
Oct 6

UP County to go for Biden in 2020.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Michigan»In Michigan, a ranting, Q...