The Missouri Republican Party has taken a firm stance against a gubernatorial candidate, Darrell Leon McClanahan, who has ties to the Ku Klux Klan. McClanahan, who hails from southwestern Missouri, has openly identified as 'pro-white' and is one of the nearly 280 Republican candidates who filed to run for office.
The Missouri GOP expressed strong disapproval of McClanahan's affiliation with the KKK, stating that it goes against the party's values and platform. They have initiated steps to have him removed from the ballot as a Republican candidate, emphasizing their condemnation of any association with hate groups.
McClanahan, who previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, defended his views, claiming that the GOP was aware of his beliefs. The party has refunded his filing fee and is urging him to withdraw voluntarily, with the possibility of seeking court intervention if necessary.
While the Missouri Democratic Party recently blocked a candidate from running due to controversial affiliations, the GOP's acceptance of McClanahan's fee complicates efforts to remove him from the ballot without a court order.
McClanahan's legal history includes a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League, where he asserted his identity as a 'Pro-White man' dedicated to traditional Christian values. Despite his denial of being a Ku Klux Klan member, court records reveal pending felony charges against him and a past restraining order issued in 2008.
The situation underscores the complexities surrounding political candidacy and the challenges faced by parties in addressing controversial affiliations among their candidates.
