The congressional candidates who have embraced the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory

(CNN) — A Republican candidate who subscribes to the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory prevailed Tuesday night in a House primary runoff in Georgia.

Marjorie Taylor Greene defeated fellow Republican John Cowan in the runoff for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, and her victory in the solidly Republican Georgia district means Greene is all but certain to find herself elected to Washington.

What started three years ago as conspiracy theory born on the internet’s dark fringes has moved into the mainstream with candidates like Greene espousing and promoting QAnon theories and phrases as they seek political office on a major party ticket.

QAnon’s main theories claim that dozens of politicians and A-list celebrities work in tandem with governments around the globe to engage in child sex abuse. Followers also believe there is a “deep state” effort to annihilate President Donald Trump. Another QAnon theory is that Trump will arrest all his wrongdoers like Hillary Clinton and send them to Guantanamo Bay. There is no evidence for these claims.

It’s unclear who was behind the posts, or if the ones that followed were posted by the same person — but followers believe “Q” is knowledgeable because of their claim to security clearance within the US government.

Besides Greene, a few other candidates on the November ballot have expressed support or sympathize with QAnon, without calling themselves an outright believer.

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Greene had praised the mythical Q as a “patriot” in a video from 2017 and described the conspiracy theory as “something worth listening to and paying attention to.”

She added, “He is someone that very much loves his country, and he’s on the same page as us, and he is very pro-Trump.”

During a primary debate, Greene was asked if she was a follower of QAnon. She responded by saying in part, “I am committed to my allegiance to the United States of America. I, like many Americans, am disgusted with the Deep State who have launched an effort to get rid of President Trump.” She added, “Yes, I’m against all of those things and I will work hard against those issues.”

Jo Rae Perkins

In May, Jo Rae Perkins won the Republican nomination for US Senate in Oregon as an unabashed QAnon theory supporter. Perkins, however, faces a tough race to win against incumbent Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley.

In a video posted to Twitter following her victory, she showed support for QAnon.

“Where we go one, we go all,” she said, using the conspiracy’s catchphrase. “I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team. Thank you Anons and thank you patriots — and together we can save our republic.”

Her campaign deleted the video soon after and released a statement saying she “would never describe herself as a follower,” but Perkins, in an ABC News interview, went against her own campaign by reiterating her support for QAnon.

She later posted a video in June of her taking the oath tied to the conspiracy.

Lauren Boebert

Lauren Boebert, a political newcomer, in June delivered a stunning upset to five-term Republican Congressman Scott Tipton in the GOP primary for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

Her win was immediately met with criticism from Democrats, who pointed to comments she made that appeared to sympathize with QAnon.

Campaign manager Sherronna Bishop previously told CNN that Boebert was not a follower of QAnon. “She’s very glad that the (Inspector General) and the (Attorney General) are investigating the Deep State,” Bishop said. “She does not follow QAnon.”

But Boebert appeared on an online talk show, Steel Truth, hosted by a prominent purveyor of the theory, Ann Vandersteel, saying that while the QAnon issue is “more my mom’s thing,” she said she nonetheless is “very familiar with it” and that she “hope[s] that this is real.”

“I am familiar with that. And, so, that’s more my mom’s thing. She’s a little fringe. I try to uh, I just try to keep things on track and positive. I am very familiar with it though,” she said, adding, “Everything I heard of Q — I hope that this is real because it only means America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values, and that’s what I am for.”

QAnon, she said, “is only motivating and encouraging and bringing people together, stronger, and if this is real, then it could be really great for our country.”