A self-described 'proud Islamophobe' banned from social media just won a GOP nomination

 https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/19/politics/laura-loomer-donald-trump-florida/index.html

 If you've paid attention to the rise of the radical right on the internet over the last few years, you know the name Laura Loomer.

Loomer is one of the most high-profile figures of this movement -- and one of its most controversial. She has described Islam as a "cancer on humanity" and said that Muslim candidates should not be allowed to hold office in America. She has called herself a "proud Islamophobe."

That behavior has led to Loomer being banned from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram -- not to mention ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft. (She tweeted in 2018 that "someone needs to create a non Islamic form of Uber or Lyft because I never want to support another Islamic immigrant driver.")

 And as of Wednesday morning, Loomer is the Republican nominee in Florida's 21st District, which happens to include President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

 She won a six-way primary for the right to face Rep. Lois Frankel (D) in the general election, raising more than $1 million thanks to support from conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pardoned Trump ally Roger Stone and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. Loomer campaigned as the Trumpiest candidate in the field, touting her belief in the President's "law and order" message. (Loomer is very unlikely to come to Congress; the 21st District is strongly Democrat.)

Trump rewarded that support with a tweet touting Loomer's win on Tuesday night.

"Great going Laura," he wrote. "You have a great chance against a Pelosi puppet!" He also retweeted several accounts congratulating Loomer on her victory, including that of Marjorie Taylor Greene, the GOP nominee in Georgia's 14th district who has publicly supported the QAnon conspiracy theory and expressed a number of anti-Islamic views.