Multiple Republican politicians have been running ads on Gab, a haven for white nationalists
Written by Alex Kaplan
Published
Multiple Republican political candidates have been running advertising on Gab, the social media platform known as a haven for white nationalists.
Founded in 2016, Gab has given a space to numerous white nationalist figures, including the alleged gunman behind the 2018 mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue that killed 11 people. The platform has also sponsored events by white nationalist Nick Fuentes’ group and white nationalist outlet VDare. Its CEO, Andrew Torba — whose account all Gab users follow by default — has regularly pushed Fuentes’ content, lauded the Capitol insurrection while it was happening, and urged the insurrectionists to storm the U.S. Senate. He also promoted a call for then-President Donald Trump to declare martial law and overturn the 2020 election, endorsed the white nationalist “great replacement” conspiracy theory, and cheered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as the country being “liberated and cleansed from the degeneracy of the secular western globalist empire.”
In August, Gab introduced an advertisement feature on the platform, which Torba has called “a huge step forward for our vision of a parallel economy” for those who have been removed from other platforms for violating their policies. Since then, Media Matters has found multiple political candidates running ads on the platform to appeal to Gab users. (The platform recently introduced targeted advertising, meaning there may be other candidates running ads on the platform not found in this review.)
Here’s a list of candidates running ads on Gab found by Media Matters:
Herschel Walker (Georgia)
- Herschel Walker, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Georgia, told users “we need your support today” and “I need your help to WIN.”
![Herschel Walker Gab ad1](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/11/image (1).png?VersionId=XVeYw2q9ajQ6UUBTdu0Fdruw4Ve1IlOy&itok=Bp3XlYtA)
![Herschel Walker Gab ad2](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/11/image (2).png?VersionId=GWbnSNgtT2YEW_XEQ1MOhAPdQ31llG_T&itok=O5UHfo6g)
Jerrod Sessler (Washington)
- Jerrod Sessler, a Republican candidate in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, told Gab users, “I’m one of us.”
![Jerrod Sessler Gab ad](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/11/image (3).png?VersionId=Guchgmsu4T_ezXraA3b1PhXEhsSkhJB2&itok=PaE-2iqp)
Paul Gosar (Arizona)
- Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), an incumbent candidate running in Arizona’s 9th Congressional District, asked “every America First Patriot” to “show your support” by donating “right now to help me defend our nation.” Gosar, who joined the platform following a Gab hashtag campaign urging him to, has lauded the platform and its users as “people who respect real diversity, diversity of opinion, thoughts, and views.”
![Gosar Gab ad](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/11/image (4).png?VersionId=xYKa7ci7.K2tEYPMPY6HRKpKA9V6QGy.&itok=dtcO-FKU)
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia)
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), the incumbent candidate in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, promoted a “gun giveaway” and urged users to sign a petition calling for President Joe Biden’s impeachment. Media Matters reported in February that Greene had paid Gab more than $36,000 for marketing.
![Marjorie Taylor Greene Gab ad1](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/11/E_MbMFbUYAIVNSH.png?VersionId=lsqcWI5IM0LQM5H4ow_1wuxUfhllidqy&itok=ncSRw4v8)
![Marjorie Taylor Greene Gab ad2](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/11/E_fagGzWUAULzx7.png?VersionId=nqTKr6Mr5Jrmh19n_R0LyISXTmE2YfR_&itok=WMec_W_4)
Kathy Barnette (Pennsylvania)
Additionally, Torba has shared an image of what appears to be an advertisement on Gab from Kathy Barnette, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, telling Gab users, “I Am You.”
![Torba post Barnette ad](https://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/styles/scale_w1024/s3/static/D8Image/2022/05/16/2022-05-16_10-02-02.png?VersionId=oz4bbbnUtJa2D1DcRhCaYtV4_FY_Llkt&itok=l5L7Zy_Q)
Recently, an increasing number of Republican political figures have joined Gab, including some current Republican members of the House of Representatives whom Torba has dubbed the “Gab Caucus.” A Republican gubernatorial candidate who uses the platform also did an interview with Torba, during which he lauded the platform and its CEO.