Trump Isn't The Only Anti-Semite In The GOP-- Missouri Republicans Embrace Them Too

Not a Halloween costume-- this is Missouri Republican candidate Steve West

Last August we warned Missouri readers about a Trumpist candidate in Kansas City, Steve West, a Missouri Nazi who the Republican Party has nominated for the General Assembly. "West," we wrote at the time, "is a hate-talk radio host, so it's not like Republicans didn't know what he was all about before they voted for him in Tuesday's 4-way GOP primary. District 15 is a pretty blue Kansas City (Gladstone) district and the incumbent is Jon Carpenter. He was renominated-- without opposition-- with 3,757 votes. The Trump Party primary drew 3,003 votes between the 4 candidates. West came in first with 1,485 votes (49.5%). His closest competition was Timothy Harris with 24.4%. People who listen to West's show would be the Q-Anon types. West babbles nonsensically about how "Jewish cabals" are "harvesting baby parts" through Planned Parenthood, which tortures and molests children and which runs run Republican Party. But instead of committing him to an insane asylum, Trump votes decided he belongs in Jefferson City representing them in the state legislature. Last year West told KCXL listeners that "Looking back in history, unfortunately, Hitler was right about what was taking place in Germany. And who was behind it."His defense was that "Jews today are a remnant of the tribe of Judah that rejected Christ." He also suggested that "Maybe Jews shouldn't vote for me." Today his daughter said that no one should.

The Kansas City Star reported that "Emily West has a message for voters in Missouri House District 15. Don’t vote for her dad. "I can’t imagine him being in any level of government."

Her dad is Steve West, 64, the Republican candidate for the Missouri General Assembly who made headlines after winning the GOP primary in August when word spread about his radio show and website through which he regularly espoused an array of bigotry including homophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and outright racism.

“A lot of his views are just very out there,” Emily West said. “He’s made multiple comments that are racist and homophobic and how he doesn’t like the Jews.”

She said she grew concerned when she drove through the Clay County House district over the weekend-- which covers Gladstone and a part of Kansas City, North-- and saw lots of yard signs in support of her father.

“I think it’s just insane that people are putting out his signs,” she said. “You see his signs everywhere. I don’t understand how people can put out his signs knowing the comments that he’s made.”

Anti-Semitism is again dominating the headlines after 11 people were killed Saturday in a mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh that is being called the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U. S. history. Authorities said the gunman told a SWAT officer after he was shot and captured that “I just want to kill Jews.” The accused shooter appeared to have an extensive anti-Semitic social media profile, posting one threatening message just minutes before the attack.

West denounced the shooting on Monday, and said some of his comments in recent months have been taken out of context.

“I absolutely renounce what took place there,” he said. “I have never, never suggested anything like that. When stuff like that happens, it is a terrible travesty and injustice. I would never condone any violence against any people because of a specific race or religion or anything else.”

Karen Aroesty, regional director of ADL Heartland, said those who espouse hateful rhetoric bear some responsibility when violence erupts.

“I think anybody who’s willing to make hate public and willing to state formally and be out there with their hate-based identity, they’d better be accountable to how people respond to them,” she said. “When you put it out there, you have to know that you’re accountable in society today, and given the capacity of the internet to move information so fast, you’re going to be influencing people far beyond your neighborhood.”

Does West belong in the General Assembly?

“If somebody who is on the record as being hateful toward groups of people who they might represent if elected, is that something that society wants?” Aroesty said. “I would question how they make public policy for an entire constituency. But people are going to have to make that choice. I can’t make that choice for them.”

The Missouri Republican Party issued a statement in August saying that West’s “shocking and vile comments do not reflect the position of the Missouri Republican Party or indeed of any decent individual.”

Both the Missouri GOP and West himself, want to distance themselves from anti-Semitism. "Who, me????" is how they both responded. Just like Trump. But on his radio show last week, West claimed Jews are assaulting America. "They have been giving us gay marriage, pornography, abortion, everything that’s anti-Christian…This is what they do. This is how they corrupt a Christian nation, because they are an anti-Christ people." His Democratic opponent, Jon Carpenter, the incumbent, said "West has engaged in the most radical and hateful anti-Semitism and bigotry that I’ve ever seen. The events of the weekend were a tragedy. Clearly, hate and bigotry are on the rise in this country and it’s up to each of us to do our part to stand up against that... I’m deeply disturbed by his candidacy and it’s my hope that the voters of the 15th District overwhelmingly reject that kind of bigotry on election day." West's daughter agrees and told The Star that her father "has always been kind of radical and out there," and that his views have become more extreme in recent years.

She said her father’s actions have caused a rift between him and his children. The last time they talked, she said, was a couple of days after the August primary. West received about as many votes as the three other GOP candidates combined.

“I asked him to drop out and said, ‘I think it’s a really bad idea that you’re running and I don’t think this is going to end well for you,’” she said. “And he told me that this is what his life has been about and that everything in his life has come to this moment and it’s the most important thing. And I said, ‘OK, then I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want you to be a part of my life.’ And I haven’t talked to him since.”

West blames his ex-wife for his daughter’s attitude toward him.

“I had a toxic divorce from my ex-wife and she’s poisoned my kids, and I have to live with that,” he said. “I’m sorry that she’s decided to make a political issue that doesn’t need to be.”

West said he thinks he has a good shot at being elected.

“I have a good reputation,” he said. “These people are trying to paint me as some monster. But I have been in this community for a long time, I’m very well known. A lot of people know me, and they don’t have those experiences with me. There’s a good chance I’m going to win.”

Still no endorsement tweet from Señor Trumpanzee, but still plenty of time. How about a Kansas City rally?