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QAnon-linked Arizona candidate faceplants during debate
Behold: perfect evidence that having online clout in right-wing circles doesn’t make you qualified to serve in elected office.
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Watkins is suspected by many to be “Q,” the central figure in the fascist QAnon conspiracy theory (though he’s denied the claims). He appeared at his first primary debate on Wednesday alongside two other Republicans, and if Watkins’ performance is any indicator, he’s the most likely to flame out.
Take this intro, for example:
Ron’s biggest mistake: thinking his ability to con Trump supporters into believing he was a secret agent would somehow carry over into the real world.
But Ron has the charisma you’d expect from a guy who collects samurai swords & spends all day on 8chan.pic.twitter.com/r2E2IYbWOY
OK, so that was a rough start. But maybe Ron was just workin’ himself into a rhythm. Let’s see how he fares when it comes to specific policy matters.
Here’s Ron whiffing on what prompted Russia’s attack on Ukraine:
The question was about military aid to Ukraine. Ron Watkins tries to blame the Keystone Pipeline for the invasion, which elicits a response from Rep. Blackman that leaves Ron with no option but to go “he’s right.”😭 pic.twitter.com/CEnfIz76As
The answer was so bad Ron allowed his decidedly right-wing opponent, state Rep. Walt Blackman, to sound relatively lucid (even as he pushed debunked claims about the Keystone XL Pipeline).
Let’s try another. Here’s Ron claiming the biggest issue in his would-be district, one of Arizona’s northernmost districts, is the incomplete border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Ron Watkins claims the “biggest issue” in the district is the border wall, despite CD2 being nowhere near the US-MX border. Ron talks about his recent trip to the border wall and laughably claims to have scared “coyotes” off by simply looking them in the eye. pic.twitter.com/ng7xj93499
Who needs a border wall when Ron can just scare off migrants with a cold stare?
Let’s try one more. Climate change! That’s an issue of tremendous import. And surely in a state like Arizona, where climate change is and will be a particularly troubling issue for years to come, Ron has thoughts on how to curb its most devastating impacts. Right? Let’s ask him.
The final question is about climate change. Ron Watkins brushes the question off saying “I think we should not even talk about climate change. Not even address it. We should just get rid of the entire idea.”
Speaking to his horde of far-right followers from behind a computer screen, Watkins could pitch himself as someone deeply attuned to politics. That image shattered in hilarious fashion the moment he was actually forced to explain his stances in the real world.
— Arizona Right Watch (@az_rww) April 28, 2022
