John Abarr, KKK Organizer-Turned-Political Hopeful, Drops Out Of Montana House Race

HELENA, Mont. -- A candidate for Montana's U.S. House seat with ties to the Ku Klux Klan says he is dropping out of the race because he didn't have enough support.

John Abarr of Great Falls told The Associated Press early Wednesday he is withdrawing his candidacy because the campaign "wasn't going anywhere."

The 41-year-old night auditor at a hotel was a former KKK organizer. At the time of his June announcement he said he believed people would back him as part of a backlash to the nation's first black president.

But leading Montana Republicans either rebuked or ignored him.

Leading state Republicans have already rallied around Bozeman businessman Steve Daines in 2012 as the popular choice to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Comments

[fightthapower]

01:28 PM on 10/07/2011

I think he blew it with the photo ops wearing the sheets.

[rain33]

06:54 PM on 10/06/2011

hum hum WHY I AM NOT SURPRISED THAT KKK would try to run a political seat knowingly that there are a bunch of them in office now meaning both sides! look at what the non-voters and working class voters allowed meaning TEA BAGGERS controlling congress! wake up folks and fight back because our country is about class warfare, jobs and racism! wake up!

[UKLLee]

12:43 PM on 10/07/2011

The only party that elects people from the kkk are democrats.

[rain33]

07:00 PM on 10/07/2011

naw they are called DIXIE CRATS and REPUBLICANS FROM THE SOUTH! HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cakey4814]

11:10 AM on 10/06/2011

At least he admitted why he dislikes the President while others tiptoe around it. This man didn't mince words and act like it's his policy, etc..it's his color and he thought he had enough racist in Montana that agreed with him to run for the House.

[Marion Robinson]

03:42 PM on 10/06/2011

WHO CARE WHAT AN HATER HAS TO SAY!

[Disdain]

10:30 AM on 10/07/2011

He is free to think what he wants and the people of Helena, Montana are free to ignore him.

[Cakey4814]

10:52 AM on 10/06/2011

Only 20 comments and yet you have 1 pending?

[Marion Robinson]

10:43 AM on 10/06/2011

So what else is new ex-kkk member running for office from the party of haters and the hates donlt want nothing to do with him. What he poor or something GOP!

[AllBlackWoman]

01:44 AM on 10/06/2011

Anyone who is a member of the KKK and promotes violence and racism deserves no success in life!

[dwill123]

09:18 AM on 10/06/2011

"member of the KKK and promotes violence and racism"

You said the same thing twice. No need KKK would have sufficed.

[Eric Daniels]

10:18 PM on 10/05/2011

Hey the right wing has enough racists running for President from Rick "Niggerhead" Perry to Michelle Bachmann who said black families were better off during Slavery. So John Abarr would one amongst many.

[goserenee1]

11:54 PM on 10/05/2011

How could you write something like that? Flagged!

[xxcraziikiiddxx]

12:32 AM on 10/06/2011

how can you flag that .? its the truth .

[UKLLee]

12:45 PM on 10/07/2011

You are aware that only the democrats elect kkk members, right?

(niggerhead is the name of a camp, but I guess perry is just a "typical white guy", right?)

[Eric Daniels]

05:39 PM on 10/07/2011

Where in the last 50 years have the Democratic Party have allowed blatant racists in their party like Republicans have?

(niggerhea­d is the name of a camp, but I guess perry is just a "typical white guy", right?)

Well if you are a typical White Conservative who uses race-baiting using local sherrifs to deny African- Americans their right to vote or have a station that virulently race- baits the Black President of the United States and his family then YOU are a "typical White Guy"

And that makes Perry one also.

[etherboss]

07:34 PM on 10/05/2011

If only Granny Sarah would have endorsed him.

[chambatoka]

06:56 PM on 10/05/2011

I don't think his expectations were unrealistic. I just think the ex-birthers and semi-closet racists who want to "take the country back" felt his open association with the klan would subject them to further scrutiny.

[GoDems2012]

06:43 PM on 10/05/2011

:-)

[Bgrngod]

06:39 PM on 10/05/2011

I wonder if the realization that he received virtually ZERO support for being a KKK guy has any impact on his stance about being a KKK guy.

If 99.9% of the population thinks you are wrong, chances are good...

[FantasticFourFan]

06:30 PM on 10/05/2011

So he actually expected the local GOP to back him? What does it say about them that he even got that impression?

[Apple Baek]

06:43 PM on 10/05/2011

All the things that they say behind closed doors, hoping no one hears! I guess those promises are shakey when it comes to making a public announcement about backing their buddy!

[Intelligentia]

10:33 PM on 10/05/2011

You got it!

[LinaJo]

11:16 PM on 10/05/2011

It's deep & I love your micro bio!

Faved...

[VietVet67]

06:22 PM on 10/05/2011

Maybe he needed an endorsement from David Duke.

[O K Ali]

10:08 PM on 10/05/2011

LOL.

[Barbarian At The Gate]

06:09 PM on 10/05/2011

I knew he was going to attempt to run as a Republican before I even started reading the article.

[UKLLee]

12:46 PM on 10/07/2011

That's funny, the only recent member of congress who was a kkk member was a democrat.

[Barbarian At The Gate]

11:15 AM on 10/08/2011

It was many, many decades ago that he was in the KKK and he renounced the organization. The most recent political candidates with ties to white supremacy run as Republicans:

David Duke has been running as a Republican since the 1990's. He considered running in the 2012 Presidential race as a Republican.

Derek Black, son of Don Black, was elected to the position of Republican Party committeeman in West Palm Beach, Fla. in 2008.

Jason "J.T." Ready of Arizona, founder of a nativist organization and ties to NSM, was the past president of the Mesa Community College Republican Club in the 1990's and Maricopa County Republican precinct committeeman from 2006-2008.

[knott wrench]

05:57 PM on 10/05/2011

As I see it, Mr. John Abarr, was "Open" about being a "Klan" Member and the Montana GOPers didn't want to touch him with a "10 foot Pole".

But, you still have the "Old Confederate South" which appears to be "Alive" when it comes to President Obama.

So, the GOPers would rather a "Quiet" discriminator in Office than one who is "Open".

Still, Mitch McConnell fits as an "Open" discriminator with his pledge of making:

"President Obama a One Term President".

John Abarr, just isn't one of the:

"Good 'ol Boy's" to be included in the "Mob".

[Tejascc]

06:52 PM on 10/05/2011

John Abarr was too obvious for the Repub/Tea Party.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_tea_party_its_worse_than_you_think_20101007/