Online forum controlled by Nevada GOP House candidate contains slurs and Nazi talk, AP review finds

A congressional candidate from Nevada operates an online forum that's rife with posts containing racial slurs, minimizations of Nazi Germany and defenses of white nationalist conspiracy theories

WASHINGTON -- Long before running for Congress , Marty O’Donnell was an award-winning music composer for the popular “Halo” video game franchise.

His work drew legions of fans to an online forum, which the Nevada Republican has tried to turn into a galvanizing force as he tries to unseat a Democrat in a Las Vegas area district that could help decide House control . O’Donnell has served as the group’s de facto leader, referring to himself as its “benevolent dictator” while tapping its members for campaign cash and harnessing their enthusiasm in his bid. The campaign held a two-day event for forum members this month at a casino that included a video game tournament, panel discussions and speeches.

An Associated Press review of thousands of posts made on the forum between 2022 and 2026 found racial slurs, minimizations of Nazi Germany and defenses of white nationalist conspiracy theories.

“It wasn’t a couple of crazies. The popular sentiment was, ‘Yes, slavery should be legal,’” said Deacon Dameron, a former group member who said O’Donnell banned him for calling another user a “dork.”

Many views espoused in the forum, which is controlled by O’Donnell and his handpicked moderators, are at odds with some of the values articulated by the candidate and his campaign. For example, O’Donnell has staunchly defended Israel and condemned bigotry.

In a statement, campaign spokesman Keith Schipper said O’Donnell “has zero tolerance for hate" in his forum. Since becoming aware of the issue in the spring, the campaign “dedicated a staffer to monitor” and “remove people that spew racist and antisemitic vitriol,” Schipper said. “Unfortunately, some posts have been missed over the years.”

Schipper said nearly 200 users have been banned “because of hateful rhetoric, including many of the people flagged by the Associated Press. Marty’s support of Israel is unequivocal and, as seen in various interviews and online posts, he will not tolerate the rise of antisemitism in our country. Marty will continue to fight bigotry, misinformation, and hate toward Israel because it is the right and moral thing to do.”

O’Donnell, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, is running against four-term Rep. Susie Lee in the Nov. 3 election as Republicans look to hang onto their razor-thin majority. In a sign of how Republicans are triaging their chances in a tough environment, they pulled back spending this week in a handful of congressional races, including O’Donnell’s.

Most of the chat group’s comments concern video games and gaming strategies. A section is reserved for questions about O’Donnell’s work on “Halo” games.