Sam Markstein, national political director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, told Newsmax on Monday the Republican Party has some issues dealing with antisemitism, but the party is not "fractured" over it.
"The overwhelming majority of Republicans are in the Trump Reagan wing of the party, which totally rejects antisemitism and bigotry of any kind," Markstein told "National Report."
Markstein said nearly all Republicans are "unafraid to call out the antisemitism on the far-right fringe."
He said that can't be said for Democrats in America.
"This is something that the Democrats refused to do, failed to do, for a decade, and you're seeing what the results are," he said. "They have had to live with the consequences of their failures for the last several election cycles."
Markstein added, "We are not gonna let that happen in the Republican Party."
He said he does not agree with political agitators like Nick Fuentes, who went unchallenged on a recent appearance with political commentator Tucker Carlson.
"And so we believe First Amendment cancel culture is the wrong way to do this," said Markstein. "But we're also allowed to criticize when we see things that we believe are wrong, and that includes giving an unchallenged platform to an antisemite like Nick Fuentes."
Markstein said he does not understand what Carlson may have been thinking in scheduling Fuentes to appear with him.
"I don't know what's in Tucker Carlson's heart, but I do know that it is not America first to platform unchallenged Nick Fuentes," he said.
He went on to say, "I know that it's not America first to attack people like Ted Cruz or Mike Huckabee. So I think that there needs to be some soul-searching over there."
Markstein said President Donald Trump has been a champion of Jews.
"I mean this president has been our greatest friend in the White House," he said. "He's directed every department and agency in the federal government to do everything in their power to end the scourge of antisemitism."
A near firestorm developed the past week among Republicans in response to the Carlson interview with Fuentes, who is associated with white nationalist ideology and antisemitic commentary.
It got hotter when Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defended the Fuentes interview, even though he said he did not appreciate what he stands for.
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Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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