A Florida Republican congressman appeared this week on a right-wing radio show with hosts who bill themselves as “anti-Islam.”
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) appeared on Tuesday’s Right Side Patriots radio show alongside conservative commentators Diane Sori and Craig Andresen. Mast did not make any anti-Muslim comments during his Tuesday hit, however after Mast’s appearance, Sori and Andresen went on to accuse Muslim-American candidates of committing “ballot box jihad” with recent election victories.
Mast appeared on the show before, in 2015 and 2016, as a congressional candidate, according to recaps uncovered by CNN.
CNN first reported Mast’s appearance Thursday on KFile.
“It’s also important for people to remember whether they like to hear it or not, we are at war with Islam,” Sori said. “Plain and simple. I cannot say it enough. Islam is not a religion and we are at war with Islam — not radical Islam, all Islam.”
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In a statement to CNN, Mast’s spokesperson defended the congressman’s appearance, stating that he talks to all reporters.
“Congressman Mast talks to many reporters about the issues that are most important to his constituents like clean water, support for veterans and community safety — just as he did in this interview,” Mast’s spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also attempted to distance Mast from the hosts’ ideologies.
“[J]ust like every reporter doesn’t agree with his positions, he doesn’t agree with every statement ever made by the reporters that he talks to,” the spokeperson added.
The two hosts prominently feature anti-Muslim views on their websites. Andresen has previously espoused the debunked conspiracy theory that former President Obama is secretly a follower of the religion.
Mast, a freshman GOP lawmaker, is running for reelection and faces two GOP challengers in a primary election later this month.