Bigotry among young conservatives has Republicans on edge

[Zorro]

Many Republicans dismiss such party members even as white supremacists like Nick Fuentes gain popularity, but there’s growing unease at their presence in the rank and file.

Twenty-three-year-old Alec Beaton has the résumé of a model GOP foot soldier. He’s a former precinct delegate and county Republican youth chair who ran a small Michigan field office for Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.

He’s also a self-described Holocaust “revisionist” who views praise for Adolf Hitler as a way to “mess with people.”

“We don’t think Hitler is, like, the worst person ever,” Beaton explained as he roamed a national conference for young conservatives with his friends, joined at one point by an acquaintance on the event staff for the host group, Turning Point USA.

Many Republicans dismiss young people such as Beaton as fringe actors, unrepresentative of the GOP. But there’s a growing unease in the party at their presence among the rank and file. Leaks of offensive group chats and infighting over the bounds of acceptable political discourse are fanning anxiety in the party: Maybe the kids are not all right.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/26/gop-feuntes-trump-antisemitism-nationalism/

Bigotry has been a hallmark of the Republican Party for the past 60 years.

[Lovie777]

1. GQP have condition their children for years ....................

and now they are surprised?

[Ollie Garkie]

11. YUP

These kids grew up listening to Rush Limbaugh in dad's car, now they crave or buy into more extreme stuff. Probably part of the plan, really.

[popsdenver]

14. YUP

they grew it, they can chew it......Munch, Munch, Munch

It's what the Republicans have fostered and promoted for decades.....

[B.See]

27. EXACTLY. They are the produce and progeny of their parent's OWN hate and venom. The FRUIT of their malodorous labour.

False outrage and 'concern' notwithstanding.

[Coventina]

2. Edgelord syndrome.

It's better to be notorious for being a complete asshole than a complete unknown.

That's all that matters in today's clicks, views, and likes - based world of those under 30.

[markodochartaigh]

3. There was discomfort when the

Republicans absorbed the right wing of the Southern Democratic party, but the corporate Republicans got over it thinking that they could control the Southern racists on a national level. And they did for decades. But gradually the reich-wing racism took over the Republican party until in 2015 the corporate Republicans realized that they could not win without Trump because he was so wildly popular with the 80% of their base who are authoritarians. So they put party before country and chose an authoritarian Strong Leader who was not committed to democracy as their candidate.

[EdmondDantes_]

4. Weird that the bigotry of the older conservatives doesn't bother them

Just because the young ones say it without the dog whistle doesn't change much to me.

[BlueTsunami2018]

5. Why? That's who they've aligned themselves with for decades.

That’s just their brand. What are they “on edge” about? That’s what their voters like. It’s the leader of the triumvirate for right wingers just ahead of misogyny and climate change denial.

I’m confused.

[bbernardini]

6. At the risk of aging myself, this has a real "I learned it by watching YOU!" energy to it. nt

[Ollie Garkie]

9. thought of that PSA, too. nt

[Rebl2]

7. Why are

they on edge about this. They just learned it from them, because republicans have been racist forever. I would think they would be proud that those young republicans, not worried about it.

[hatrack]

8. There are no "Republicans" . . . there are only Trumpers and "Independents" and "Low-Information Voters"

[Ollie Garkie]

10. Um, right.

"Monster in village has Dr. Frankenstein on edge."

[debsy]

12. Wtf do they expect when they all are bigots themselves?

[Trueblue Texan]

13. He thinks voicing his ignorance is a "way to mess with people"...

But of course, it's really the way he communicates what a moron he is.

[BurnDoubt]

15. "White Like Me"...

By I Yaamma Dimpledick… available in paperback wherever Bullshit is sold.
(Somebody said “Bizzarro World three times, I just know it.)

[Marcuse]

16. History doesn't repeat, but it rhymes. Back to the future.

[liberalla]

24. Mmm... I've never seen this, but I'm interested to hear directly from Atwater himself.

Bookmarking... Thanks for posting!

[hibbing]

17. Headline made me laugh

We all can list plenty of examples appealing to racists.

[maxsolomon]

18. IOW, he's a 4 Chan Edgelord Troll.

We live in hell.

[ToxMarz]

19. Quiet Part meet Out Loud

No filter, they think like they're always in the Disqus comments section.

[spudspud]

20. Bigotry in Repugnant party used to be mostly dog whistle for "rank and file."

But Trump has shown them that they can be loud and proud racists and get away with it (mostly). So now all the old timer GOPers are clutching their pearls because their spawn are making it impossible for them to defend the bigotry/racism accusations leveled against the Rethuglicans.

[Joinfortmill]

21. Holocaust denying is despicable.

[IronLionZion]

22. Who raised them?

[CarolinaNC]

23. Being taught to hate! So sad!

[Jack Valentino]

25. Well, I don't think of Thomas Crooks or John Hinckley Jr. as "the worst persons ever",

either.....

[Diamond_Dog]

26. I grew up with parents who were pretty bigoted, especially my father

I heard every racial epithet ever coined, along with disparaging remarks about Democrats. How did I ever grow up to be a Liberal Democrat?

[eppur_se_muova]

28. " ... on edge as they work to harness it more effectively." Completed that sentence. nt

[maxrandb]

29. The ONLY thing the Retrumplicans are worried about

is that the kids don't hide their racism, fascism, misogyny, hatred and white supremacy.

They aren’t concerned about the rampant racism, they're concerned that it's out in the open.

Here's what worries me. I'm not sure that the racism, fascism, misogyny, hatred and white supremacy is the electoral loser we all think it is.

I guess I will find out if this truly is America, after being assured for decades that it isn't.

The Retrumplicans have been racist dickheads for my entire life. They gleefully supported a racist, fascist, misogynistic pedophile rapist, and so far, they've been rewarded with unchecked power.

I am still waiting for those "better American angels" to make the scene.

Forgive me for not holding my breath.

[Passages]

30. They're surprised? Who brought them up?

[Renew Deal]

31. I have a hard time believing that the Republican Party has a problem with this

They certainly promoted racism and hatred directly from Trump and many other elected officials. And with their anti-“woke” agenda it appears that republicans are happy to keep it that way.

Israel may be in trouble with Americans. Young republican types are getting repeated messages from Owen, Carlson, and others about Israel.

[yardwork]

32. I read essentially the same beliefs on DU over the past two days.

In threads discussing the Maine primary, more than one DUer stated that Nazi tattoos don't bother them even a little bit, and anyway WWII was a long time ago and nobody cares about it anymore. These posters said they are also unconcerned about a candidate's misogynistic and homophobic posts and comments.

The candidate with the Nazi tattoo and bigoted beliefs is probably going to win the Maine primary for US senator.

Bigoted beliefs have gone mainstream. It's not just a MAGA problem.