Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) said Thursday Republican voter fraud may have affected the House race in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District.
Kobach, an ally of President Trump who served on a voter integrity panel, became one of the most prominent Republicans to publicly express alarm in an interview with the Washington Post.
“Based on what I have read, I am very concerned that voter fraud did occur,” said Kobach, who recently lost the race for Kansas governor. He said it was unclear whether the alleged wrongdoing was broad enough to change the outcome of the election.
{mosads}The North Carolina election has been mired in controversy since multiple voters have emerged with sworn statements saying that their absentee ballots were hand collected by canvassers, which is prohibited in the state.
The Republican candidate in the race, Mark Harris, has a 905-vote lead over Democrat Dan McCready, but that result has not been certified. The state board of elections cited “irregularities,” and is set to meet on Dec. 21 on how to proceed.
Several prominent Republicans, including Trump, have opted not to comment on the process in North Carolina as it unfolds.
Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (Fl.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Rand Paul (Ky.) all declined to comment this week, saying that they were not informed enough, according to the Post.
Top Democrats have been much more vocal.
“This is bigger than that one seat,” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said Thursday. “This is about undermining the integrity of our elections.”
Incoming majority whip Rep. Jim E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) called for the election to be redone, “all the way back to the primary.”
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that Democrats would refuse to seat anyone from the 9th District until the fraud allegations are resolved.