Election deniers were overwhelmingly rejected by voters in the 2022 elections, but the threat they pose to our democracy persists. MAGA extremists are running for office at all levels of government—while also obtaining other seats of power within the Republican party ahead of the 2024 elections.
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New York Times: How Much Did Election Denial Hurt Republicans in the Midterms?
Nick Corasaniti
05/15/23
Key Sections:
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Denying the results of the 2020 election and casting doubts about the nation’s voting system cost statewide Republican candidates 2.3 to 3.7 percentage points in the midterms last year, according to a new study from States United Action, a nonpartisan group that promotes fair elections.
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Even at the lowest end of the spectrum, 2.3 percentage points would have been enough to swing several critical midterm races that Republicans lost, including the contests for governor and attorney general in Arizona and the Senate elections in Nevada and Georgia.
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In each of those races, the Republican nominee had either expressed doubts about the 2020 election or outright rejected its legitimacy.
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But spreading such conspiracy theories again could hamper Republicans as they look to take back the Senate in 2024.
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In the midterms, a slate of election-denying candidates ran together as the America First coalition.
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But in every major battleground state, these candidates lost.
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Several candidates who were a core part of the election denial movement have signaled an intent to run again in 2024, including Mr. Marchant in Nevada. Others, including Kari Lake and Doug Mastriano, who lost races for governor in Arizona and Pennsylvania, are reportedly considering bids for Senate.
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