Just 13 of the 143 Texas Republicans running for Congress acknowledge that the results of the 2020 election are “legitimate,” according to a survey.
Hearst Newspapers sent questions about the election to all 143 candidates and only a baker’s dozen accepted the results of the election despite repeated recounts, audits and court cases that have found no evidence of any fraud or election-rigging that could have impacted the results, according to the Houston Chronicle.
42 candidates claimed the election was stolen, called the results invalid or stated that they would not vote to certify them after the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot. Another 11 candidates falsely claimed the election result was in doubt because of enough fraud or irregularities. Another 19 candidates have also listed election fraud as a major issue without taking a position on the legitimacy of the 2020 results.
“We’ve seen across the board, the Democrats have always cheated,” Jonathan Hullihan, a former Navy lawyer running for the seat of retiring Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said at a recent candidate forumWithout any evidence. “Eighty-one million votes for Joe Biden? I just don’t believe it.”
Two of the candidates took part in the storming at the Capitol. Alma Arredondo–Lynch is challenging freshman Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas). bragged that she had an “exciting and unforgettable” time at the protest outside the Capitol, blaming the pro-Trump violence on antifa and Black Lives Matter with no evidence. Sam Montoya, a former staffer at Alex Jones’ Infowars running in the state’s 35th congressional district, was arrestedAfter filming himself, and others, he has pleaded guilty.
Even some Republicans who have acknowledged that President Joe Biden’s win was legitimate raised questions about the election.
“There are a lot of questions and issues regarding the 2020 election that need to be resolved and that are still being looked into, but there is not enough evidence to suggest that the election was stolen or that he is illegitimate,” Greg Thorne, who said he would have certified the election, unlike incumbent opponent Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), told the Chronicle.
The 2020 election has become a key litmus test in Republican primaries as voters continue to be bombarded with false claims of fraud stemming from Donald Trump’s unending propaganda campaign to deny his loss. Trump’s Justice Department and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s “Election Fraud Unit”All the evidence was incontestable.
Two-thirds of Texas Republican voters believe Biden’s win was illegitimate, according to a recent pollThe University of Texas at Austin accepted the election results, while only 22% of Republicans accept them. Nationwide, just 21% of Republicans believe Biden’s win was legitimate, according to a December pollUniversity of Massachusetts at Amherst
“The belief in widespread voter fraud is becoming the article of faith among Republicans,” Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin, told the Chronicle.
Blank said candidates’ position on this question is a signal to voters of their fealty to Trump.
“Is there any daylight between you and the former president?” he said. “It’s not necessarily about voting per se, but the extent to which these candidates can present themselves as on the president’s team.”
Although political candidates are known for being flimsy with facts, the trend of candidates repeating repeatedly debunked lies about elections is not new. The Trump administration’s top cybersecurity officials called the 2020 race “the most secure in American history.”Ruth Hughs, Republican Texas Secretary of States, said that the election in Texas was “smooth and secure,”This appeared to have led Republican lawmakers to block her confirmation.
It’s not just Texas: Hundreds of Republicans who deny or cast doubt on the election results are running for Congress nationwide. Perhaps more alarmingly, more than 80 election deniersAre running to run, supervise or protect elections in their state and many more are looking to take over local election jobs.
Many Republican state lawmakers have also gone all-in on Trump’s Big Lie with legislation aimed at restricting ballot access in the wake of record turnout in the 2020 race. According to the, Republicans passed 34 new voting legislations in 19 states last year. Brennan Center for Justice, and have at least one of these in their portfolio. 250 new voting bills this year.
Texas’ sweeping new voting law, which restricts numerous forms of voting, has already become a nightmare for election administrators with primary voting underway. The state’s new voter ID requirements have caused some counties to reject nearly halfof mail-in and postal ballot applications.
About 40% of ballots and applications in Harris County, which includes Houston have been rejected by election officials. saidLina Hidalgo, Harris County Judge. “We have the receipts,” she tweeted.
Officials in Travis County (which includes Austin) have also had to deal a significant increase in rejections.
“Voters are being mistreated,” County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said last month. “My friends, this is what voter suppression looks like.”
