OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — The Ottawa County Republican Party is distancing itself from a county precinct delegate who admits he recently posted support for Adolf Hitler online and denied the Holocaust.
Ryan Anderson admitted to the postings in a phone interview with FOX 17’s Matt Witkos Monday afternoon.
County precinct delegates attend local conventions to participate in electing county and state party leadership.
The Ottawa County Republican Party chair told FOX 17 that Anderson’s posts would be referred to the organization’s accountability committee. The chair said the committee will now look at the posts and speak to Anderson about them. Potential results could include censuring Anderson for his comments.
The Ottawa County Clerk’s Office confirmed Anderson became the Chester Township Precinct 1 Republican delegate after he was elected by voters in August.
The posts in question were made public after screenshots of Anderson’s personal Facebook page were shared on X.
In the posts, he calls Hitler a hero and stated the Holocaust didn’t happen.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum describes the Nazi Party as the radical far-right movement and political party led by Adolf Hitler.
“I just like to say that I'm not a Nazi. I don't hate anybody, and that anyone who would imply such things about myself are woefully misguided and are making erroneous presumptions about my character,” Anderson told FOX 17. “When I discover the truth, I think it is helpful for my community to be made aware of those things.”
The county Republican Party said in an email, “The delegate's personal beliefs and posts are his own and not supported by the [Ottawa County Republican Party].”
"The OCRP is focused on constitutional and commonsense solutions for our county, state, and federal government, in alignment with the America First Agenda," the statement said. "The OCRP has not and will not provide megaphones to those who detract from our focus."
This issue comes after another Republican Party member in Kent County posted messages supporting Nazism earlier this month.
On Feb. 11, the Kent County GOP censured Derek Anderson for posting pro-Nazi messages on social media.
The Kent County GOP called Derek Anderson’s posts offensive and wholly inconsistent with the beliefs and values of the Republican Party.
Ryan Anderson declined to say if he has any relation to Derek Anderson.
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