Carlson and Owen Are Not True Conservatives

As a candidate for the United States Senate from Oregon, I, Russ McAlmond, have built my campaign on the foundational principles of American conservatism: individual liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, and the unyielding belief that every person is created equal in the eyes of God and under the law.

These are the values enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, which boldly proclaims that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights."

This is the essence of American exceptionalism—a rejection of group hierarchies, tribal divisions, and collectivist ideologies that judge people not by their character or actions, but by their race, religion, or ethnicity.

It is with this commitment to true conservatism that I must address a disturbing trend among some self-proclaimed "conservative" pundits, namely Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens. Their recent rhetoric, laced with antisemitic undertones and outright hostility toward Israel and the Jewish people, is not only morally reprehensible but fundamentally at odds with conservative principles.

This is not hyperbole; it is a clear betrayal of the individualism that defines our movement.

President Donald Trump himself has recognized this deviation, publicly disavowing Tucker Carlson for his criticism of U.S. actions against Iran, stating that Carlson has "lost his way" and is no longer part of the MAGA movement.

This disavowal from the leader of our party is proof positive that antisemitism and hatred toward Israel and the Jewish people are not conservative values—they are aberrations that will not be tolerated by the Republican Party.

My campaign has zero tolerance for antisemitism, racism, or any form of group judgmentalism. These are not conservative ideals; they are collectivist poisons that erode the individual dignity at the heart of our philosophy. Conservatism celebrates the unique potential of every person, free from the shackles of identity-based oppression.

Yet, Carlson and Owens have increasingly embraced narratives that group people—particularly Jews—into monolithic categories ripe for judgment and blame. Carlson's platforming of Holocaust revisionists and his condemnation of U.S.-Israel cooperation as "disgusting and evil" veers into dangerous territory, implying a collective culpability for Jews and Israel that echoes age-old tropes.

Owens has gone even further, downplaying the horrors of Nazi experiments during the Holocaust as "bizarre propaganda," promoting blood libel conspiracies, and accusing Jews of controlling the slave trade—claims that have earned her the ignominious title of "Antisemite of the Year" from advocacy groups.

Such rhetoric is not just offensive; it is a direct assault on the truth and a embrace of division. By putting people into groups and judging them collectively—whether through antisemitic conspiracies about Jewish influence or anti-Israel isolationism—Carlson and Owens have shifted their politics from conservatism to collectivism.

Collectivism is a leftist and European political philosophy, one that prioritizes group identity over individual merit. It is alien to American conservatism, which draws from the Enlightenment ideals of Locke and the Founding Fathers, not the tribalism of old-world ideologies.

This collectivist mindset is precisely what the current Democratic Party promotes through their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. DEI divides Americans into oppressed and oppressor groups, creating an intersectional hierarchy where individuals are judged by their race, gender, or other identities rather than their contributions or character. It fosters resentment, entitlement, and government overreach—the very antithesis of conservative values.

The Declaration of Independence rejects this outright: we are all created equal, not some better or worse based on our groups. To see so-called conservatives like Carlson and Owens adopt similar group-based judgments reveals their true colors—they have wandered into the ideological territory of the left, where collectivism reigns.

True conservatives understand that supporting Israel, our steadfast ally in the Middle East, is not about favoritism toward any group but about defending shared values of democracy, freedom, and security against radical threats.

Antisemitism, like all forms of racism, undermines this by reducing complex geopolitical realities to hateful stereotypes. It divides our movement and weakens our nation.

As Oregon's next Senator, I will fight to ensure the Republican Party remains a bulwark against such hatred, promoting policies that unite Americans around individual opportunity and national strength.

In conclusion, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens are no longer true conservatives. Their descent into collectivist rhetoric proves they have lost their way, much as President Trump has declared. The Republican Party and the MAGA movement must reject this poison to preserve the principles that make America great.

My campaign stands firm: zero tolerance for hate, full commitment to equality, and an unapologetic embrace of American individualism. Together, we can build a future where every Oregonian—and every American—thrives as an individual, not as a member of a judged group.