RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
Far Right Social Media Platform Founder and Supporter of GOP Nominee Calls for ‘Coalition of Christian Nationalists’

Doug Mastriano, a Christian nationalism-promoting election conspiracy theorist who won the Republican Party’s gubernatorial primary in May, has come under fire for his ties to Andrew Torba, the antisemitic Christian nationalist founder of the far-right social media platform Gab.
Since its founding, Gab has been a haven for antisemites, white nationalists, and other bigots who have been kicked off of Twitter and other mainstream social media platforms, creating a cesspool so toxic that even MAGA cultist Bill Mitchell abandoned the platform after growing tired of dealing with its “large white supremacist, bigotry community.”
Mastriano, by contrast, has no such qualms about courting that community; he spent $5,000 promoting his campaign on the platform and has even been interviewed by Torba himself. For his part, Torba has been a vocal supporter of Mastriano, penning a column last week in which he declared that “Christians need to be supporting Doug Mastriano.”
On Friday, Democrat Josh Shapiro, who is running against Mastriano for governor in Pennsylvania, appeared on MSNBC to discuss Mastriano’s ties to Gab, which prompted Torba to hold a livestream response in which he repeatedly made his Christian nationalism explicitly clear.
“We are going to build a coalition of Christian nationalists, of Christians, of Christian candidates at the state, local, and federal levels, and we’re gonna take this country back for the glory of God,” Torba declared. “[Mastriano] is our guy, and this is Pennsylvania’s guy, and he’s going to turn this state around for the glory of God. And that is the mission here, folks.”
“This isn’t a big tent,” Torba continued. “This is a Christian movement, full stop. The only way that we’re going to gain any ground in the culture, in the government, in taking our towns, our cities, our states, our counties in our country back is by putting Jesus Christ first. It’s just that simple. There’s no other way. There’s no other path.”
Torba dismissed right-wing activists like Dave Rubin, who is gay, and Ben Shapiro, who is Jewish, saying there is no reason that people like that should be leaders in the conservative movement.
“These people aren’t conservative,” he said. “They’re not Christian. They don’t share our values. They have inverted values from us as Christians. So don’t fall for the bait. Don’t fall for the bait of Populism Inc. Don’t fall for the bait of this pseudo-conservatism, big tent nonsense. This is a Christian movement, and this movement needs to be centered on the gospel and truth of God’s word and of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and King. That is the only way that this is going to work.”
“Now that the media is attacking Christian nationalism, they’re attacking Jesus Christ, and that is a very bad move,” Torba warned. “We are going to take back this country for the glory of God. This is an explicitly Christian movement because this is an explicitly Christian country. From its founding, throughout its entire history, it has been an explicitly Christian country, and people are starting to remember that, and that needs to be the focal point of this movement.”
“That is how we are going to win,” Torba proclaimed. “The entire platform is centered around God’s word, is centered around putting Jesus Christ first again, in our schools, in our culture, in our homes, in our media, in our entertainment, in our news, everything.”
This article was originally published by Right Wing Watch and is republished here by permission.
Image of Doug Mastriano via Facebook
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |