Candace Owens
Conservative Political Commentator
Candace Owens is a conservative political commentator and author who gained national prominence through her work with Turning Point USA and as a host at The Daily Wire. She is known for her commentary on race relations in America, her critique of progressive politics, and her support for conservative causes. Her rise in conservative media was notable partly because she is Black and positioned herself as a counterpoint to what she characterized as liberal groupthink on race.
Owens's commentary became increasingly controversial over time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she publicly discouraged vaccination and promoted skepticism of public health measures, statements that were fact-checked and found to contradict scientific consensus. She also promoted versions of the Great Replacement theory — a narrative claiming that immigration represents a coordinated effort to demographically replace white populations — which civil rights organizations characterized as a white nationalist talking point. Beginning in late 2023, she made a series of statements invoking antisemitic tropes about Jewish influence over media and finance.
Her relationship with The Daily Wire deteriorated publicly over her statements about Jewish people and Israel. Co-founder Ben Shapiro, who is Jewish, publicly criticized her views. In March 2024, The Daily Wire and Owens parted ways. Owens characterized the split as a mutual decision and continued building her own independent media presence. The Anti-Defamation League and other organizations documented specific statements she made that they considered antisemitic; Owens disputed those characterizations and argued she was raising legitimate questions about political and financial power.
Owens's career trajectory — from a liberal blogger who ran an anti-Trump website in 2016 to a prominent conservative commentator, then to a figure fired by a conservative outlet — has been cited by observers across the political spectrum as an example of how media incentives can drive public figures toward increasingly extreme positions.