NEW: Democrat Congressional Candidate’s History of Violent Rhetoric Under Fire After Vow to ‘Kick the S’ Out of Stephen Miller Resurfaces
A Democrat congressional candidate’s history of violent rhetoric is drawing criticism after a public vow to “kick the s—” out of senior Donald Trump aide Stephen Miller resurfaced online.
In a March 2022 recording of one of his regular “Ojeda LIVE” live streams, North Carolina congressional candidate Richard Ojeda said, “Stephen Miller needs to be THUMPED! That guy’s a freaking worm. I would be willing to go to jail for—I mean, how much [time] would I get for just cracking him a couple of times?”
He continued, “I’d be willing to go to jail to kick the s— out of him. I’d be more than happy to find myself in an elevator with him and I’d whoop his a– from the first floor to the fifth floor and be happy to go to jail.”
The Trump administration quickly denounced the remarks. A White House spokesperson responded, “Unfortunately, Democrats disgustingly supporting political violence is nothing new. Neither Stephen Miller nor any other member of the administration is going to back down from delivering on President Trump’s agenda to Make America Great Again. In the meantime, Richard Ojeda should seek help.”
### Ojeda Responds: Condemns Violence Despite Strong Language
In response to the backlash, Ojeda clarified that despite his language, he does not believe violence is the answer.
“The language I used in that video reflects my discontent with how political figures like Steven [sic] Miller are steering the nation I served for 24 years in the U.S. Army,” Ojeda said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I believe his conduct and the conduct of many who enable him to be a betrayal of our oath that I cannot accept.”
He went on to emphasize, “That said, political violence has no place in our society. I know that better than most. When I first ran for state senate, I was beaten nearly to death on a creek bank simply for putting my name on the ballot in defense of my community. My family wasn’t sure I’d make it out of the ER that night, and I won my seat from a hospital bed.”
Ojeda added, “I survived my attack, but as we know, many others haven’t. Political violence has spiraled toward darkness in our country and I would not use those same words today.”
He also noted that he grew up around coal miners, who “talk tough and don’t mince words about how they feel.”
### Heightened Concerns Over Inflammatory Political Rhetoric
Criticism of Ojeda’s rhetoric comes amid growing GOP concerns over inflammatory and violent political speech. This is particularly sensitive following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and multiple attempted assassinations targeting former President Donald Trump.
Even Democrats have warned that “violent words precede violent actions” and stressed the importance of “a culture of condemning any rhetoric that glorifies violence.”
This week, Virginia’s Democratic candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones, also faced scrutiny after text messages surfaced in which he suggested his Republican colleague should get “two bullets to the head.”
### About Richard Ojeda and His Political Career
Ojeda is running to represent North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. A veteran who served in the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division, he had a brief tenure in the West Virginia State Senate before multiple unsuccessful campaigns for Congress.
His past political bids include two failed runs for the U.S. House (2014 and 2018), a short-lived 2020 presidential campaign, and an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate the same year.
Currently, Ojeda has raised more money than any other Democrat he faces in the upcoming North Carolina Democratic primary, according to Federal Election Commission records.
### Ojeda Highlights Context of Remarks and Reiterates Condemnation of Violence
In his comments to Fox News Digital, Ojeda pointed out that the remarks are four years old and were made “long before” he considered a congressional run, despite having pursued other political offices previously.
He reiterated his condemnation of political violence multiple times, stating, “I’ll admit I was angry then, and I’m still angry now—angry at what people like Stephen Miller are doing to this nation.”
“The fact that he holds a place in our history books disgusts me, and I think it disgusts a lot of Americans. Steven Miller is a racist,” Ojeda concluded.
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**Watch:** Lawmakers Wrestle with How to Approach Hateful Political Rhetoric in Wake of Kirk Assassination.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-candidate-under-fire-saying-hed-kick-s-out-trump-adviser-stephen-miller