Teen Journalist Booted From GOP Event, Accused Of Being Democratic Operative
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A teenage political enthusiast says he was accused of being a Democratic operative when he was booted from an event hosted by the New Hampshire Republican Party last week.
Quinn Mitchell, a 15-year-old podcaster and high school student, made waves this summer after an exchange with Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But he was shocked to find himself on the Republican Party’s radar during the First in the Nation Leadership Summit in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Oct. 13.
“I don’t know the full story,” he told HuffPost in his first extensive interview on the subject. “I don’t think I ever will.”
After getting credentials early in the afternoon, Mitchell was able to watch remarks from presidential candidate and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at the event, which was hosted by the New Hampshire Republican Party.
He planned to listen to long-shot candidate Perry Johnson next. But Mitchell said he was then approached by a woman calling him a known disruption and a Democratic tracker, a term for political operatives who record rivals on the campaign trail.
Mitchell said the woman scuttled him into another room. He was questioned by the woman and a man, both of whom he believes worked for the national GOP and not for the New Hampshire Republican Party, he said.
The teen found the accusations unbelievable.
“People who know me, they know I’m not a Democrat tracker,” Mitchell told HuffPost. “They know I love the civic process in New Hampshire. I really love going to all the events. Anybody who knows me knows I’m never disruptive.”
Quinn Mitchell is seen asking former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie a question during a July 24, 2023 campaign event. In a new interview, he told HuffPost about getting ejected from a New Hampshire GOP event.
Racking his brain over what the woman could be referring to, Mitchell said he could only point to an incident with DeSantis back in July. According to a report from The Daily Beast, the politician’s private security physically restrained and ejected the teen from a Fourth of July parade.
At the New Hampshire event, Mitchell was ultimately escorted from the building by a team of cops, who he said were equally perplexed. The press corps witnessed the end of the ordeal, which was first reported on by the Boston Globe.
A spokesperson from the event blamed the situation on “an overzealous volunteer” in a statement to The New York Times. She and Mitchell confirmed he was later allowed back inside, where he caught some of DeSantis’ speech but left before the Q&A. A spokesperson for DeSantis told the Times, “We were not involved in that decision” to remove Mitchell from the event.
Neither the New Hampshire Republican Party nor the Republican National Committee, which did not host or plan the event, immediately responded to HuffPost’s request for comment.
An exchange between Mitchell and DeSantis went viral in June when the candidate waffled over a question about former President Donald Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election results.
DeSantis offered a limp answer about letting go of the past. Mitchell said he was surprised at how the politician stumbled on what he called “one of my worst” questions on the campaign trail.
Mitchell told HuffPost that DeSantis’ team has created an “unnatural environment” around the candidate.
“I don’t think a campaign functions vibrantly when your campaign is basically being run by seven billionaires from Never Back Down,” he said, referencing the political action committee supporting DeSantis.
“When a campaign tries to shut down questions, people are gonna take notice of that,” Michell added.
Having attended over 80 presidential campaign events in the past two election cycles, Mitchell said candidates should take their time getting to know the Granite State’s voters, who often set the tone for the primary cycle. New Hampshire primary voters will cast their ballots in early 2024 after Iowa voters kick off the primary season with caucuses on Jan. 15.
New Hampshire is a very small state. So when you piss off 10 people, they are gonna tell hundred people. It’s a small state and word gets around.Quinn Mitchell
“New Hampshire voters ask their questions and we vet candidates really well in my opinion,” Mitchell said, noting that he’s seen question-driven events like those from Christie and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley resonate the most with voters.
“A speech only takes you so far. I mean, you have to greet with voters after events. And if you don’t I guarantee you that’s gonna hurt you in the Granite State because it’s an expectation,” he said.
“We want to see you at your house parties. We want to see you at town halls,” he continued. “Meeting with voters, talking with them, taking their questions, getting a selfie or two.”
Mitchell also warned candidates, “New Hampshire is a very small state. So when you piss off 10 people, they are gonna tell hundred people. It’s a small state and word gets around.”
While Mitchell’s intense political interests may seem like an anomaly for a teen, he urged adults to include young people in serious conversations.
“Young people need encouragement from adults in their life, to encourage them to engage in politics and read about what’s happening in the world,” he said.
