A shady political group with ties to Democratic firms has been recruiting supporters of former president Donald Trump to run as conservative Independents in critical House races to siphon votes from Republicans, the Associated Press reported.
The Patriots Run Project has been targeting retired and disabled Republicans to run as conservative alternatives to GOP candidates in key House races in Nebraska, Montana, Virginia, Minnesota, and Iowa. The winner of these races could determine which party controls the House next year.
Joe Wiederien, one of the Patriots Run Project’s recruits from Iowa, withdrew his candidacy last month after he said it became clear the group had manipulated him into running. Wiederien, who had a debilitating stroke that left him disabled and unable to drive, is an avid Trump supporter and was a registered Republican until just a few months ago. "At that time, I was thinking, well, it would be nice to be in Congress and get to work with President Trump," Wiederien, who was set to run as an Independent against Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, said. "It looks like it’s a dirty trick now."
Nunn on Monday called the effort a plot "to steal this election."
"I am outraged to see anyone prey on hardworking Iowans or deceive voters," he said.
The project—which says it is committed to fighting the "uniparty of corporate, elitist politicians"—has spent a large sum sponsoring candidates like Wiederien, according to the Associated Press. The Patriots Run Project has also received support from Democratic firms in polling as well as circulating petitions and collecting signatures for its congressional hopefuls.
The group recruits its candidates largely via Facebook, where it controls pro-Trump profiles and runs advertisements that urge conservatives to run for office. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, reported receiving $48,000 for the group’s advertisements.
The project also targeted 71-year-old Thomas Bowman, who was disabled after a kidney transplant, to split the conservative vote in a Minnesota district. In Nebraska, the group assisted a disabled former truck driver, Gary Bera, in setting up his campaign as an Independent against Republican Rep. Don Bacon in the state’s most competitive district.
The Patriots Run Project is not a registered business in the United States nor listed as a nonprofit with the IRS, the Associated Press reported. It has not filed paperwork to form a political committee with the Federal Election Commission.