New Yorker Nate McMurray has celebrated passage of a Ukraine aid bill by wishing death to Donald Trump’s political movement
Democrat candidate Nate McMurray speaks to reporters in Buffalo, New York, after losing a special election in June 2020. © Getty Images / John Normile
A Democrat politician in New York has responded to Saturday’s passage of a long-stalled Ukraine aid bill in the US House of Representatives by condemning former President Donald Trump’s ‘MAGA’ political movement to death.
“Slava Ukraine,” congressional candidate Nate McMurray posted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the House voted to approve $61 billion in additional funding for Kiev’s conflict with Russia. He added, “Die MAGA die. You lose.”
Some Trump allies in Congress have opposed sending more weapons and money to Ukraine, arguing that Washington is merely prolonging the bloodshed while failing to address bigger priorities at home, such as the border crisis. Most Republicans voted against the emergency spending legislation on Saturday, but House Speaker Mike Johnson overrode his own party by pushing the Ukraine bill through with unanimous Democrat support.
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McMurray faced online backlash for his incendiary rhetoric. His post was ratioed, and X users suggested that he should be investigated for inciting violence. One observer asked, “You’re running for Congress and calling for half the country to be murdered? Weird flex, bro.” Another said, “This fascist literally just said, ‘Die Make America Great Again die.’”
You're running for Congress AND calling for half the country to be murdered?Weird flex, bro.
— AwakenedOutlaw⚒️ (@AwakenedOutlaw) April 20, 2024
McMurray, a lawyer who previously served as town supervisor in Grand Island, New York, is running for a House seat in the district previously represented by Brian Higgins, a Democrat who quit Congress in February. The candidate doubled down on his MAGA attack after the pushback, saying, “You can’t just starve extremism with silence; you’ve got to speak up and dish it out!” He added, “I’m never gonna physically hurt a soul, but I will hurt your feelings.”
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Use of the phrase “Slava Ukraine” also raised some eyebrows. “Slava Ukraini,” meaning “Glory to Ukraine,” has a long and controversial history in the former Soviet republic. The slogan was originally used by Ukrainian nationalists, including those who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, but has become a widespread patriotic chant since the 2014 overthrow of Kiev’s elected government.