Va Gov Candidate Completely Ignores Core Campaign Issue After Richard Spencer Protest

LISTEN TO TLR’S LATEST PODCAST:

By Phillip Stucky

Republican candidate for Virginia governor Corey Stewart went the entire weekend without tweeting about the proposed removal of a confederate monument after Richard Spencer attended a Saturday protest.

Spencer came to the rally Saturday afternoon, which contained prominent white nationalists. The protest didn’t last long. The group clashed with counter-protesters, and police dispersed the torch-bearing crowd.

“What brings us together is that we are white, we are a people, we will not be replaced,” the “alt-right” organizer told members of the crowd.

Stewart maintained a strict silence on the topic over the weekend, opting instead to include tweets about Mother’s Day, his jobs and tax plan, and to share supporter’s comments.

The candidate finally answered questions about his silence Sunday evening.

Stewart attended several protests over the statue, and tweeted his support on multiple occasions, asserting the fact that the core issue was the Commonwealth’s heritage.

“We have been given another opportunity to push back against the out-of-control politically correct left that seeks to silence their political opposition,” Stewart said in a press release after Judge Richard Moore approved an injunction to keep the monument intact for at least six months.

Spencer is president of The National Policy Institute, a white identitarian organization.

Republican front-runner for governor Ed Gillespie quickly slammed the protest, calling the movement an “ugly display.”

Officials with the Stewart campaign didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

Follow Phillip On Twitter

Have a Tip? Let us Know

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

WATCH TLR’S LATEST VIDEO: