A Failed Campaign of Reason and Civility Against Irrational GOP Fear, Rage and Hate

Republican online comment: “I bet if I put a gun to his face he’d cry like a baby.”

The Washington Post published a long, heartbreaking article on the failed 31-day campaign of self-described nice guy Kevin Van Ausdal against radical far right crackpot conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican candidate in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. Greene now runs unopposed. The stress of trying to respond in anger against Greene cost Van Ausdal his marriage and his home. He describes himself as broken. This is what the new GOP is going to be like. 

The story described in detail Van Ausdal’s slow mental breakdown as he tried to shift his rhetoric and tone from civil and focused on issues, to harsh and focused on fighting back against a rage and hate-promoting GOP extremist. His marriage deteriorated as the pressure on him to be what he isn’t caused his wife to file for divorce and have him kicked out of their home. Van Ausdal had to withdraw from the race and move back to Indiana with his parents because he had no other place to stay in Georgia.

These portions of the article gives a sense of what slowly tore Van Ausdal apart. Ruth is Van Ausdal’s campaign adviser Ruth Demeter. ‘Upswing’ refers to Van Ausdal’s natural voice tendency to soften the tone of his speech to reduce emotion and conflict.

“So,” Ruth continued. “Talk to me about the things about Marjorie that are dangerous and embarrassing and appear to disregard the 14th District.”

“Okay, well, it’s really just the fearmongering?” Kevin said. There was the upswing, but Ruth let him go on. “It’s defining us. I don’t think I ever told you this, but I said to a preacher early on, you know, Jesus wants us to come together and love each other regardless of our beliefs. So when we’re fanning the flames of fear and violence — ”

“Okay,” Ruth interjected. “I love ‘fanning the flames of fear.’ But Kevin, I’m going to tell you something right now that’s really hard. This statement is about reaching people in the middle, and a lot of them are Republicans. For them, the language about love and peace is bad, or just not in their wheelhouse. … It’s got to be, ‘This has got to stop. I’m calling this out.’ ”

“Okay,” Kevin said.

“Try that ‘Enough is enough’ line,” Ruth said.

“Enough is enough — wait,” Kevin said, then tried again. “Enough is enough.”

“Oh, I love that,” Ruth said.

“I’m not going to act like this is a normal election,” he continued.

“Oh, that’s really good,” Ruth said.

“Enough is enough” Kevin repeated over and over, practicing the statement his team wanted to post as soon as possible to his 1,500 Facebook followers, and meanwhile, Greene had posted a new Facebook video for her 100,000 followers.  

“Do me a favor. Take a deep breath. Put your shoulders back,” Ruth said. “Read it angry. It’s this crazy situation. Read it mad.”

“Hi. I’m Kevin Van Aus-dal. ... Marjorie Taylor Greene does not represent us …”

“Again. Mad,” Ruth said.

“Marjorie Taylor Greene is not one of us …” Kevin said.

“Not one of us,” Ruth said.

“Not one of us …” Kevin said. “What’s the psychology behind this?”

“There’s psychology but I don’t have time to explain,” Ruth said. “Okay, go for it.”

“We are watching her use her platform to cheer violence against Democrats,” he continued, then stopped. “Be angry,” he reminded himself.

“Be angry,” Ruth said. “And you have to give it a little beat,” said Ruth. “So-ul.”

“For the so-ul of our nation,” Kevin said. “Like that?”

“Perfect,” Ruth said. “Remember. You’re angry.”

Kevin took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

WaPo writes: Her campaign adviser stated that “Greene had expressed support for the 17-year-old charged with killing two people during protests in Kenosha, Wis., calling the case the “first stage” of a new “Civil War.” And he said that while Greene was now distancing herself from QAnon, she had the support of QAnon social media groups as well as an array of local gun groups including one called the Georgia III % Martyrs.”

It is clear that people who support Greene are driven by irrational fear, rage and hate fomented by relentless radical conservative dark free speech, or epistemic terrorism if you will. Trying to reason with those people is pointless. They have been radicalized and whipped into a raging tribal frenzy that cannot be reasoned with or reasonable.

How should the opposition to this raging insanity respond? The GOP leadership is mostly silent. Clearly the reasoned and reasonable approach that Van Ausdal wanted to take would have been a failure, but he could not transition to an all-out war footing mindset. His attempt to harden himself broke him mentally.

Does the democratic party owe something to Van Ausdal for what he tried to do?

WaPo writes: “Onstage, a guest speaker was talking about “a time when you will be asked to shed another man’s blood because he is a threat to your very way of life.” Another talked about “the communist Democrats.” Another said that vice-presidential candidate Kamala D. Harris “wants to come to your house and take your guns away.” Another began his speech by yelling into the microphone, “FREEDOM!!!!” and out in the audience, a man wearing a hat with a ‘Q Army’ patch was listening. ‘I think people are waking up’, said the man, Butch Lapp. ---- Greene supporters commenting online about Van Ausdal: ‘the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat’ and one that read ‘I bet if I put a gun to his face he’d cry like a baby.’”