How deeply far-right conspiracy theories take hold within the Republican Party and what the party does to accept or reject them will have far-reaching consequences for the future of the GOP and American politics.
Meijer is by no means the only Republican in Congress upset by the rise of QAnon, but he is one of a rare few who are willing to denounce it in public and repeatedly.
CNN reached out to the offices of more than a dozen GOP members of Congress to request interviews for this story, and only two agreed to participate.
The lone voices within the IDP who are still taking a stand must now wrestle with what the party would require to turn away from conspiracy theories.
Most people acknowledge that they are facing a difficult battle, but some hope that in the future they may be able to expand their ranks in Congress, and one upcoming congressional election in Texas will serve as an early test or ‘ a message against the conspiracy theory in a red district.
‘A long-term battle for the soul of the party’
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who also voted to accuse Trump, is perhaps the loudest voice in the Republican Party taking on QAnon.
“I think he bears direct responsibility for the rise of conspiracy thinking in the Republican Party and the Conservative movement as a whole,” Wood said in an interview. “The big lie he announced after election day did a lot of damage to our civic institutions.”
Kinzinger hopes that no matter what the outcome of the special election will be, his endorsement will show that like-minded Republicans are not alone and encourage others to present themselves on a similar platform.
“I think what’s important is that people see there are people who support you, who will help you if you do the right thing,” he said. “It’s a long struggle for the soul of the party.”
The Illinois congressman describes the danger he believes QAnon poses in harsh terms and says he is concerned that its biting impact could tear the fabric of American democracy apart.
‘I think there’s going to be a civil war? No. Do I exclude it? No. I think it’s worrying, I think it’s something we should be worried about? Yes, ‘he said.
‘We are fact-based pariahs’
Former GOP representative Denver Riggleman from Virginia has spoken out in his opposition to QAnon, and he believes that is part of the reason why he was elected to office.
The former congressman said Republicans regularly try to make it appear as if they are standing on their principles, while at the same time ‘winking and nodding’ for conspiracy theories in an effort to get more votes.
Riggleman believes a major problem right now is that there is a strong “contingent of IDP voters who have completely lost themselves in the rabbit hole of conspiracies, disinformation and grievance politics”, and most Republican lawmakers “want to be re-elected, so they would rather “People like me have shut the hell up, even though they know I’m right.”
“It’s almost as if we’ve based on paragraphs on facts that are trying to rein in this madness,” he said.
“It sometimes feels lonely in terms of the voiced voice,” Kinzinger said. “The reality is that I think if you’re a sitting member of Congress, it’s easy to say I’m going to ignore it.
Wood, the Texas congressional candidate, is frustrated that most GOP congressmen have not done enough to denounce QAnon conspiracy theories.
“Kevin McCarthy was a huge disappointment. He was elected leader for a reason and he has not acted like a leader at all for the past few months,” he said.
‘An Apocalyptic, Messianic Conspiracy Theory’
As the GOP points the way forward after Trump loses the White House, Kinzinger said he does not want to see Republicans vote on false allegations of widespread electoral fraud.
“The story is almost that we need to tighten our electoral system so that the next election is not stolen again, and that it is rubbish,” he said.
The Illinois congressman said he did not closely follow the details of the Georgia legislation, believing that some of the Democratic setback was “overwhelmed,” but he also believes there is valid criticism that it was carried out in response to false allegations of widespread voter fraud.
Kinzinger hopes the January 6 Capitol attack will finally be a “turning point” for the Republican Party, but thinks it could take some time to undo the damage done.
“I think it will be a turning point in the long run. I think in the short term there were a number of people who woke up quite a bit, but there are a number who did not,” he said.
Riggleman believes QAnon took the post because it gives people something to believe in. “It is an apocalyptic, messianic conspiracy theory that enables people to almost act in this good versus evil fight against the global forces of evil,” he said. become ‘wrapped up in it’ and it becomes ‘difficult to disconnect them from the theories’.
Meijer is concerned that conspiracy theories such as QAnon could make it more difficult for the IDP to recalibrate and rebuild after the White House lost and was in the minority in both chambers.
“I think it’s all part of this broader tendency to blame,” the congressman said. “In the case of QAnon, it’s good. Why am I in the position I am in? Well, that’s because others oppress me. Why did we lose this election? Well, it was not because our candidate was not the best or made mistakes, it was because it was stolen. These are the ways to give up responsibility and accountability. ”
As one of the Republicans who warns about the dangers of QAnon and conspiracy theory, Meijer understands what he is facing, but he says he is determined to keep speaking.
“It’s important not to have the record corrected and to keep telling the truth,” Meijer said. “It’s something I definitely do politically as well as otherwise, but I did not run for office to seek the easy way out, and I’m definitely not going to stay away from what I think is an important responsibility.”
CNN’s Kelly Mena contributed to this report.