Republican nominee Marshall Rawson, 34, is at the center of renewed scrutiny after multiple outlets report he marched in the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Reporting describes him as appearing alongside members of the League of the South and in video footage near James Alex Fields Jr., who drove into a crowd of counterprotesters and killed Heather Heyer.
The Washington Post and New Republic both focus on Rawson’s alleged ties to white supremacist networks. New Republic also cites additional details, including claims that Rawson and his wife participated as part of the League of the South, that he used or ran racist anonymous social media accounts, and that he previously promoted ideas connected to slavery. It further reports that his candidacy attracted donations from individuals identified as having links to white nationalists.
Rawson, according to New Republic, says he ended his relationship with the League of the South, denies wrongdoing, and argues that donors do not necessarily reflect views of their money. The outlet also notes that Florida’s GOP had not commented on the reporting at the time of publication, while Rawson provided a statement responding to claims.
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