ICYMI: Scott Baugh Campaigns with Huntington Beach Mayor Who Pushed Antisemitic Conspiracies and Neo-Nazi Rhetoric
IRVINE, CA — A recent report in Jewish Insider revealed that Scott Baugh, the Republican nominee for California’s 47th Congressional District, has repeatedly worked to support Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, despite her history of antisemitic rhetoric, Holocaust denial, and affiliations with far-right extremist groups. Baugh has not only accepted Van Der Mark’s endorsement but has campaigned alongside her on multiple occasions, demonstrating a troubling alliance with an official known for spreading hate.
“Scott Baugh, the Republican nominee running in California’s Orange County-based 47th Congressional District, campaigned with and touts an endorsement from a local official with a history of antisemitism and affiliations with a series of well-known far-right extremists.”
Dave Min, State Senator and Democratic nominee for CA-47, denounced Baugh’s decision to ally with Van Der Mark.
“Scott Baugh has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unfit to represent this diverse district,” said Dave Min. “He has previously declared that he believes wokism– celebrating the values of diversity and inclusion– is the greatest threat America has ever faced, and he is campaigning proudly alongside a well-known anti-Semitic Holocaust denier who has worked closely with white nationalists and far-right militia movements. Orange County deserves leaders who will stand up against hate, not embrace it.”
Van Der Mark has a well-documented record of making anti-Semitic statements, including questioning the Holocaust on social media, joining forces with neo-Nazis and white supremacists, and making racist and Islamophobic statements. She was previously removed from two school boards because of her racist statements and actions. On the Huntington Beach City Council, Van Der Mark has continued to embrace hate, leading the charge to eliminate the Human Rights Commission, which was created in the late 1990s after a number of racially motivated murders to address hate in HB, and pushing for book bans in Surf City’s public libraries.
Despite widespread condemnation from local Jewish leaders and the Anti-Defamation League, Baugh continues to tout her endorsement on his campaign website and appeared with her at campaign events as recently as this year.
Baugh has dragged Orange County voters through the mud with him for decades, leaving behind a trail of corruption and scandal, including:
Changing voter registrations without consent: As Chair of the Orange County Republican Party, Baugh was at the center of a scandal where as many as 600 Orange County residents had their voter registrations changed to Republican without their knowledge– and led to 12 arrests.
Indicted on more than 20 criminal charges: In 1996, Baugh was indicted on more than 20 criminal charges, including four felonies, for violating campaign finance laws and persuading someone to commit perjury. He admitted to committing nine violations of the California Political Reform Act and was forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines.
Worked to disenfranchise voters: Baugh was a founding chairman of an organization that spread voter disinformation and attempted to disenfranchise California voters—long before the 2020 election.
###
California’s 47th is an open DCCC Red To Blue Congressional District in Orange County that includes the Cities of Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Seal Beach, and portions of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Woods. Incumbent Democratic Representative Katie Porter is not running for re-election. In 2022, Porter defeated former Assemblymember Republican Scott Baugh by 3.44% in this “toss up” district. State Senator Dave Min currently represents over 80% of Congressional District 47 in Sacramento. In 2020, Min received over 158,000 votes within CA-47, defeating incumbent John Moorlach by 5.15% in this area. 19% of the registered voters in CA-47 are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, including one of the largest Korean-American populations in the country.