Associated Press: Support of false election claims runs deep in 2022 GOP field

Associated Press: Support of false election claims runs deep in 2022 GOP field

“I don’t want to give them more power than they actually have to undermine us and our faith in the election process,” said Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections for Common Cause, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for expanded voter access. “We have a huge infrastructure with thousands of election officials and checks and balance. In places where there are bad intentions to harm voters, we are all working to ensure those don’t happen.”

Nearly 1 in 3 Republican candidates for statewide offices that play a role in overseeing, certifying or defending elections supported overturning the results of the 2020 presidential race, according to an Associated Press review.

They include contenders from one end of the country to the other, often in pivotal swing states, for positions that are the linchpins of democracy. …

The breadth of election denial among Republicans is a reminder of the grip that Donald Trump has on the party. As the midterm primary season reaches its conclusion next week, Trump has wielded the power of his endorsement with great effect, lifting candidates who parrot his conspiracy theories while largely sidelining those who accepted the legitimacy of Biden’s election.

That’s raising the stakes for the November vote, particularly for contests that play a vital role in validating election results and ensuring peaceful transfers of power. Governors, for instance, often confirm the results of presidential elections. Most secretaries of state oversee their state’s election system. Attorneys general have the power to defend their state’s elections or investigate claims of wrongdoing.

Of the 86 Republican candidates vying for those positions in 37 states in the fall, one-third have echoed Trump’s lies about widespread fraud costing him reelection, according to the AP review. Only 40% would directly say Biden was legitimately elected. …

Other experts on voting are alarmed but warn against panic.

“I don’t want to give them more power than they actually have to undermine us and our faith in the election process,” said Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections for Common Cause, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for expanded voter access. “We have a huge infrastructure with thousands of election officials and checks and balance. In places where there are bad intentions to harm voters, we are all working to ensure those don’t happen.”