Paul Nehlen unsuccessfully challenged Paul Ryan, Republican Speaker of the House in Ryan’s Wisconsin primary bid for reelection. Although ultimately, under extreme pressure as the Republican Party’s candidate for the presidency, Trump endorsed Ryan, he initially refused to endorse Ryan while instead praising Mr. Nehlen.
A movement known as the Alt-Right championed Mr. Nehlen’s effort to unseat Mr. Ryan. Although not succeeding in that case, the Alt-Right achieved two stunning successes in 2014. Eric Cantor, then House Majority leader, was defeated in his reelection bid in Virginia by David Brat, an Alt-Right darling based on his strong anti-immigration stance. Subsequently, John Boehner was forced into retirement from his position as House Speaker largely as a result of Alt-Right reaction to him on the issue of immigration.
So what is this Alt-Right movement? Why are they so concerned about immigration, and what else do they care about?
The Alt-Right fancy themselves guardians of white identity and white culture. They see globalization and multiculturalism as threats to the divine whiteness of Europe and the U.S., thus their high priority around limiting immigration. People from the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America are viewed by the Alt-Right as diluting and polluting the whiteness of Euro-America. They consider Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany to be a race traitor due to her actions and positions in favor of immigration as thousands of folks from the Middle East seek refuge in Europe as they flee conflicts at home. Conversely, Briton Nigel Farage is an Alt-Right hero, having led the charge resulting in the United Kingdom voting to exit the European Union in large measure as a reaction to large scale immigration. At a rally in Mississippi Mr. Trump denounced Hillary Clinton as the Angela Merkel of the U.S., restated his resolve to “build the wall” to keep out immigrants, and introduced Mr. Farage with high praise.
Mr. Trump typically claims non-affiliation or unawareness when pressed about his support from white supremacists, an example being his claim not to have known who former Klansman David Duke was. He cannot deny affiliation with the Alt-Right credibly.
Trump’s major financial support comes from a Super PAC funded by hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer and managed by Kellyanne Conway until she became Chairwoman of Mr. Trump’s campaign. Mr. Mercer also finances Breibart News, whose chairman, Stephen Bannon proclaims Breitbart the “platform for the Alt-Right. Stephen Bannon is now CEO of Donald Trump’s campaign.
So we see that the Alt-Right, having brought down establishment Republicans not sharing their rigid pro-white agenda are now committed to the making of a President.