While it looks as if a majority of the Republican candidates for statewide or federal office who are so called “election deniers,” those who raised doubts about the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 presidential election and in some way affirmed former President Donald Trump’s “big lie” about fraud in that election, are projected to win their races. On the other hand, many of the highest-profile election deniers, those in positions like Secretary of State or Governor, who could have a larger effect on future elections, have lost or are projected to lose their bids.
Many of Trump’s most prominent endorsements like Senate candidates Blake Masters, Mehmet Oz, Adam Laxalt and candidates for Governor like Doug Mastriano, Kari Lake and Tudor Dixon, have lost their races. And although Trump endorsed candidates for Senate J.D. Vance and Ted Budd won their bids, it was not enough for the GOP to take control of the Senate.
Several GOP incumbents across the nation who questioned the validity of the 2020 election were also reelected, such as Sens. John Kennedy, Ron Johnson, Rand Paul, and Mike Lee, as well as Reps. Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor-Green, Kevin McCarthy, and Paul Gosar in the House, in which the GOP will likely take a small majority.
Voters widely rejected Trump endorsed candidates for Secretary of State, which is a big boon to the future of free and fair elections. Mark Finchem in Arizona, Jim Marchant of Nevada, and Kristina Karamo of Michigan all lost their bids.
CBS News reports that around 60% of the Republican candidates who either raised doubts about the integrity of the 2020 election results or flat out spread Trump’s “big lie” — 185 of 308 — are projected to win their races.
In that report, CBS News defined “election deniers” as sharing some or all of these characteristics:
Said they believe the 2020 election was stolen;
Repeated disproven claims of widespread voter fraud in 2020;
Supported a type of post 2020-audit, sometimes following recounts or canvassing;
Signed onto the Texas lawsuit looking to overturn the 2020 election results in several battleground states;
Objected to certify the 2020 electoral college results in Arizona and Pennsylvania on Jan. 6, 2021; or
Have at least once, if not more, been unclear when asked if they believe President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.
There are at least 10 races remaining to be projected – “two Senate races, 7 House races, one gubernatorial race, one state attorney general race, one lieutenant governor race and one secretary of state race.”
