Summary
In this episode, host Annika Brockschmidt is joined by historian Dr. Seth Cotlar, professor at Willamette University, for a deep dive into the long history of right-wing extremism in the United States and how it migrated from the political fringe into the heart of the Republican Party. Drawing on decades of archival research, Cotlar explains how white Christian nationalism, antisemitism, and “blood and soil” ideology have shaped conservative politics far longer than many people realize. Rather than seeing today’s extremism as something new or accidental, this conversation traces clear throughlines from McCarthy-era paranoia to the Trump movement, showing how narratives about “real Americans” versus internal enemies have been refined and normalized over time.
The discussion also explores how structural changes helped remove the guardrails that once kept extremists at the margins. Cotlar unpacks the role of partisan media, social platforms, and weakened political institutions in amplifying radical ideas, alongside case studies like Walter Huss, an Oregon Republican leader who quietly fused Christian Identity theology with party politics from the inside. The episode examines the mainstreaming of antisemitic conspiracies, from George Soros tropes to Holocaust denial references, and the rise of “heritage American” rhetoric rooted in blood-and-soil nationalism. By connecting historical movements to contemporary figures and language, this conversation offers essential context for understanding how extremist ideas gain legitimacy and why they continue to shape American politics today.
Meet The Guest
Dr. Seth Cotlar
Teaches US History at Willamette University. Working on a book about the long history of the US Right.