Democrats have weaponized conspiracy theories to silence opponents and avoid political debate. That’s the thesis of David Harsanyi‘s latest book, “The Rise of BlueAnon: How the Democrats Became a Party of Conspiracy Theorists.”
In an interview with The Daily Signal, Harsanyi said Democrats have mastered the art of packaging implausible ideas—from Russian collusion to comparing voter ID laws to Jim Crow—into mainstream narratives that have undermined America’s political discourse.
Harsanyi, a senior writer at the Washington Examiner, argues that Democrats have resorted to conspiracy theories as a way to circumvent real debate after holding power for extended periods.
“When you’re running the institutions for a long time, you don’t feel like you have to debate anymore,” he said.
Harsanyi pointed to the Russia collusion narrative as the most prominent example of the Democrats’ conspiracy thinking.
“It was hatched by Democrats,” Harsanyi said, describing it as “the most effective conspiracy theory perhaps in political history” that upended almost the entire first term of the Trump administration.
According to Harsanyi, Democrats have progressed from labeling opponents as racists during the Obama administration to branding them as fascists today. He highlighted claims that voter ID requirements are equivalent to Jim Crow laws as another example of what he called “paranoid views of the world.”
When asked about recent attempts by some Democrats to moderate their positions, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s conversations with conservative figures, Harsanyi expressed skepticism.
“I think it’s superficial,” he said, suggesting that the progressive wing has taken over the party.
Harsanyi, who recently launched a Substack newsletter to complement his work at the Washington Examiner, also discussed the decline of institutional trust in America. He emphasized the importance of organized religion in American society, expressing concern about declining religious participation.
Listen to the full interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast” below or watch the interview on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe to The Daily Signal’s YouTube channel get Victor Davis Hanson’s daily video and more.
