GOP lawmakers back out of event hosted by group with white nationalism connections

Multiple Arizona Republicans are scheduled to participate in an event alongside Republicans for National Renewal, a far-right organization whose grassroots director and founder is an administrator of a Telegram chat that includes self-identified neo-Nazis. But some of those Grand Canyon State Republicans said they were unaware of the details of the event, that their names were included in promotions for it or of the associations of the Republicans for National Renewal.

The Christmas Crusade event is being hosted by Republicans for National Renewal alongside NicoPAC, a political action committee created by Nico Delgado, a special assistant for Republican Congressman Abe Hamedeh and local conservative activist. 

Delgado has advertised the event on his X account, promoting “special guests” who are scheduled to join the festivities at an undisclosed location on Dec. 20. The event is set to be an “after party” for conservative activist organization Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, set for Dec. 18-21, in Phoenix. 

Republicans for National Renewal leaders have been connected to extremist beliefs with its founder and grass roots director, Shane Trejo, previously hosting a podcast called Blood Soil and Liberty, a reference to a phrase most commonly associated with Nazi Germany. 

The Arizona Mirror discovered that Trejo is listed as an administrator of a Telegram group chat created by a “pro-nazi blogger” in which some users have expressly shared their neo-nazi beliefs. Telegram is a messaging app that is popular among white supremacist hate groups. 

RNR’s Executive Director, Mark Ivanyo was a VIP guest at white nationalist Nick Fuentes’ America First Political Action Conference in 2024.  

Trejo and Delgado did not respond to a request for comment from the Mirror. Prior to publishing, the group responded on X calling the Mirror “antifa” and claiming the Mirror was harassing attendees. 

“I wasn’t aware I was listed as a guest of Republicans for National Renewal. I was invited by Nico PAC,” Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen told the Mirror. “I have no connection whatsoever to the individuals you referenced and have zero tolerance for racism, antisemitism, or any form of hate. We have also asked to be removed from anything that suggests otherwise.” 

Shortly after Petersen responded to the Mirror’s email, a post by Delgado that featured Petersen and other lawmakers as special guests of the event was deleted. 

A representative for Rep. David Marshall, R-Snowflake, said the event was not on his calendar and he would not be attending. He is listed as a special guest alongside other Republican state lawmakers in another post by Delgado. 

Similarly, Rep. Rachel Keshel, R-Tucson, said she was unaware. 

“I have no idea what event you’re even referring to. As far as I know I have zero affiliation with that scumbag Nick Fuentes or anyone in his circle,” Keshel told the Mirror. 

“I was invited as a guest to the event by my colleague Nico,” Rep. Jeff Weninger, R-Chandler, told the Mirror. “I did not know who the other group was at the time. After learning more I will not be attending the event.” 

Republican state Reps. Ralph Heap and Quang Nguyen did not respond to a request for comment about the event. Neither did Elijah Norton, a Republican running for State Treasurer. 

Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, was the only lawmaker listed as a speaker at the event and similarly did not respond to a request for comment. Kolodin, who is running for Secretary of State in 2026, has worked with the group in the past. 

David Rose, who is running for the Arizona House of Representatives in legislative district 30, said he was not aware of the claims about RNR raised by the Mirror. Rose said he doesn’t support, endorse, or associate myself with any individual who promotes racism, antisemitism, hatred, or bigotry of any kind. Never have, never will.” 

Rose said he would be attending the event as he was invited by Delgado and accused the Mirror of trying to “create guilt by association or manufacture controversy where there is none” 

He also said after reviewing RNR’s website he did not “see anything outside of normal center-right issue positions on everything from border security to infrastructure, trade and more.” 

RNR has made headlines recently as it advocates to amend the United States Constitution to give President Donald Trump the ability to serve a third term, a policy Rose said “isn’t a serious thing.”  Rose called the policy “bait” even though RNR is behind an effort by Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles to introduce a constitutional amendment to allow Trump to serve another term in the White House. 

“Any elected leader who cares about the rights of their constituents and the welfare of their country should have no problem cutting ties with an organization associated with white nationalists,” Liz Yates, program director at Western States Center said in a statement to the Mirror. “A founding member and leading voice in Republicans for National Renewal has reportedly associated repeatedly and publicly with white nationalists. Elected representatives are obligated to defend constitutional safeguards, including presidential term limits that protect against authoritarian rule. The relentless mainstreaming of bigotry and authoritarianism has put our democracy at risk. Elected officials must be held accountable for the individuals and entities they use their platform to promote.” 

Western States Center is a social welfare organization that promotes and protects inclusive democracy. 

This is not the first time RNR has gathered in Phoenix or with Delgado. It also isn’t the first time Republican lawmakers have rubbed elbows with extremists at RNR events. 

The group has held a similar event annually since 2021 and its 2023 event made national headlines. 

Attendees of the 2023 event yelled racial and homophobic slurs at conservative Rob Smith, leading TPUSA to denounce how he was treated. 

Events in the past few years have attracted a host of extremists. 

A review of footage of last year’s event, put on by Delgado and RNR, appears to show a man named Colton Buss in attendance. Buss was part of a group of men who harassed independent investigative journalist Amanda Moore at Conservative Political Action Conference and did a Nazi salute over her head. 

Ivanyo, RNR’s executive director, was also present last year along with lawmakers Kolodin, Weninger and Republican Arizona Sen. Mark Finchem. 

Moore said she wasn’t surprised to learn that Trejo was involved in a Telegram chat that included neo-Nazis and racist comments. 

“Shane Trejo has a long history of being involved in racist group chats,” Moore said, referencing previous reporting on Trejo’s involvement in similar chats and his praise for political violence during a 2017 rally in Charlottesville,Virginia.  

With people like former Fox News host Tucker Carlson giving Fuentes a national spotlight, Moore said that politicians have a harder time claiming they don’t know who some of these groups are, especially as they gain more and more political power. 

The new Pentagon press corps, whose members agreed only to publish information approved by the Trump administration, includes an Arizonan with ties to Fuentes. Additionally, Gavin Wax, who was formerly a member of RNR, now works for the Department of State.