Mark Burns is a right-wing pastor, conspiracy theorist, and unabashed Trump cultist who, after running unsuccessfully for Congress in South Carolina in 2018 and 2022. switched districts in 2024 to take advantage of GOP Rep. Jeff Duncan’s decision not to run for reelection in what the Associated Press described as "a solidly Republican South Carolina district."
Earlier this month, Burns advanced to a runoff for the Republican nomination, no doubt assisted by the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. As Right Wing Watch reported at the time, Burns is a radical MAGA activist who has repeatedly demonized and endorsed violence against his political enemies, even going so far as to proclaim that the LGBTQ agenda represents “a national security threat” and declaring that anyone promoting it is guilty of treason and should be executed.
With just one day to go before the runoff election, Burns released ">a "final appeal" video that basically amounts to a "greatest hit" of the sorts of wild and outlandish claims for which he is infamous.
"Our nation is at a crossroads," Burns said. "Our enemies are operating in plain sight. Evil is on the march and they're not even trying to hide it. Satanic forces are taking over our schools, preying on our children with transgender surgeries and Drag Queen Story Hours."
"South Carolina is being invaded by terrorists and drug cartels," he continued. "Our enemies in China are waging economic warfare against every American, making it impossible to afford to live here, to buy groceries, gas, or even pay the light bill. And traitor Joe Biden's far-left Department of Defense is working to destroy our military from within."
"D.C. is taking our tax dollars and using it to fund the takeover," Burns asserted. "Let me say that again: American taxpayers are paying for the destruction of their own nation. Look at Iran and Afghanistan. We must hold responsible those elected officials who take our hard-earned dollars to use them to do battle against us. It is treason, plain and simple."
"We cannot afford to allow medical tyrants that gave us the mandates and shutdowns and forced vaccinations to continue they're homicidal march for total control," Burns declared. "Our faith and our freedom is under fire. Any country that would spy on Christian church attendance is just one step away from all-out gun confiscation and totalitarian communism."
"No one else was fight like I will to defend our God-given rights enshrined in the Constitution," Burns vowed. "Send me to Washington D.C. Let me clean this mess up and take back this nation for our children, our grandchildren, our God, our family, and our country."
