QAnon figurehead Ron Watkins announced his plans to run for Congress on Thursday in a video posted to his Telegram channel.
Watkins, the former 8kun administrator who many believe was the “Q” behind QAnon, had filed this week a statement of interest in Arizona revealing his intentions to challenge Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.).
In the roughly two-minute video, the prominent conspiracy theorist repeatedly cited God while detailing his political aspirations.
“I’ve come to realize that following God’s word is not always the easiest route but if we don’t follow our beliefs and the founding principles of our nation, it will crumble. This must stop now,” Watkins said. “Therefore I have decided to double down with God as my compass to take this fight to the swamp of Washington, D.C. I am here to formally announce my run for Congress in Arizona district number one.”
Although Watkins has lived for years in Japan, the far-right figure recently arrived in the U.S. ahead of his appearance at a QAnon-themed conference in Las Vegas next week.
Watkins has uploaded multiple videos of his visit to the U.S. so far, including one in which he was seen outside the office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich demanding a meeting. The ex-8kun administrator has been a leading proponent of the numerous failed “audits” across the country aimed at overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election.
A photograph recently shared by Watkins also showed him alongside Kari Lake, the woman who former President Donald Trump has endorsed for governor of Arizona.
In remarks to VICE News, Watkins claimed that he is an official resident of Arizona, one of the requirements in the state to run for office.
Watkins also referred to his potential opponent O’Halleran as O’Hooligan during his online screed.
“I have decided to expose the dirtiest Democrat in the D.C. swamp, and some of you here may already know him as Congressman Tom O’Halleran representing Maricopa County, and district one,” Watkins said. “What’s publicly known about Tom O’Hooligan shows that he is not fit to represent the people of Arizona. And from what I’ve already discovered and will expose, Tom is not fit to represent anyone anywhere.“
The alleged congressional run is the latest stunt by Watkins in a long line of bizarre endeavors that have even included running an Alien whistleblower website.