ST. LOUIS—The Missouri Republican Party says it will go to court to have a candidate for governor removed from the Aug. 6 primary ballot after learning of accusations the candidate was associated with the Klu Klux Klan. 

Darrell McClanahan III was one of eight GOP candidates to file on Tuesday and drew the lowest random number, meaning he would appear first on the primary ballot.

The Anti-Defamation League reported in 2022, when McLanahan was a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate that it had been tracking his activity for years.

McClanahan sued the ADL for defamation, but a federal judge ruled in December that the characterizations made in the piece substantially aligned with the truth, noting that McClanahan’s own complaint acknowledged that he was an “honorary member” of the KKK and the League of the South and that he acknowledged having attended a 2019 cross lighting ceremony.

On Wednesday, former Missouri Rep. Shamed Dogan, R-Ballwin, shared screenshots showing McLanahan’s 2024 filing and the ADL’s reporting about him. McClanahan responded to the post by saying Dogan was making false statements and damaging his reputation.

In Missouri, political parties can refuse to accept a candidate’s filing fee. On Tuesday, the Missouri Democratic Party refused to accept State Rep. Sarah Unsicker’s fee as she sought to enter the race for governor. Unsicker was previously removed from the party’s house caucus over her association with an alleged white supremacist and a conspiracy theorist. She has defended those relationships but has not responded to questions about the status of her candidacy.

Candidates may also run as independents, if they submit 10,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office by the end of July.

On Thursday, the Missouri Republican Party said McClanahan’s alleged KKK tie “fundamentally contradicts our party's values and platform. We have begun the process of having Mr. McClanahan removed from the ballot as a Republican candidate. We condemn any association with hate groups and are taking immediate action to rectify this situation. Our party upholds respect for all individuals, and we're dedicated to addressing any challenges to these principles decisively.”

McClanahan’s candidacy drew condemnation from the three leading candidates in the race.