Republicans have sounded alarms over Russian propganda taking hold in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“It is absolutely true we see, directly coming from Russia, attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor,” Republican Rep. Mike Turner, chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Days earlier Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that Russian propaganda had “infected a good chunk of my party’s base.”

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted how powerful Russian propaganda can be in a NY times article. “Slovakia was 80% pro-Ukraine, he said. “Two years later, with massive amounts of Russian misinformation and disinformation, you have a pro-Russian government and 55% of Slovaks think America started the war in Ukraine.”

Some, like former Rep. Liz Cheney, see Russian influence causing a similar shift among Republican congressmen, an emerging “Putin wing.”

Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon, a retired Air Force General, said some of his colleagues who oppose Ukraine funding would actually like to see Russia win. “I think it’s a terrible thing,” he said on C-SPAN.

Sen. Roger Wicker offered this perspective after voting for Ukraine funding: “Eighty years ago, few Americans knew the names of Pearl Harbor and Normandy. But because of our failure to take deterrence seriously, they soon would. Today the world is talking about Kyiv, Tel Aviv and Taipei. How we act now is going to shape the 21st century in a way that keeps Americans safe. Our grandchildren will be able to tell their families that the United States showed resolve and refused to let war criminals get stronger. I am proud to have voted yes on this legislation.”

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith joined Wicker in voting for Ukraine funding as did Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson.

But our three Republican congressmen, Michael Guest, Trent Kelly, and Mike Ezell, did not.

That was surprising in a state that has been proudly pro-military and pro-freedom since World War I and in a state with significant war material industries.

It was also surprising that they went against their own leader, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of neighboring Louisiana. “I think providing aid to Ukraine right now is critically important,” Johnson said.

We can only hope our three congressmen have not fallen prey to Russian disinformation as our former president has.

“To the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus democracy battle, which is what it is,” Rep. Turner said.

Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.