At least a third of Republican candidates who have filed initial paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for Congress have questioned the results of the 2020 president election, according to a report from The Washington Post.
As the Post reports, almost 700 GOP politicians have filed paperwork with the FEC to run next year for the House or Senate, and at least a third of these candidates have expressed support for former President Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
Of these candidates, 136 are sitting members of Congress who voted against certifying President Biden’s Electoral College victory.
The Post also reported that around 500 of the 600 state lawmakers who have endorsed Trump’s fraud claims are also currently running for reelection this year or next year.
“What’s really frightening right now is the extent of the effort to steal power over future elections,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) told the Post. “That’s what we’re seeing across the nation. Literally in almost every swing state, we have someone running for secretary of state who has been fearmongering about the 2020 election or was at the insurrection. Democracy will be on the ballot in 2022.”
Some GOP officials and lawmakers who have denounced the election fraud claims are currently facing challenges from candidates who have received Trump’s backing and who have embraced the unproven allegations.
Embattled Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), who was recently censured during a GOP convention last month, is facing a challenge from Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.).
“Unlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity,” Trump said in his endorsement of Hice.
“I have 100 percent confidence in Jody to fight for free, fair and secure election in Georgia, in line with our beloved U.S. constitution. Jody will stop the fraud and get honesty into our elections,” Trump said. “Jody loves the people of Georgia and has my complete and total endorsement.”
Trump has endorsed several other GOP candidates who have either challenged the election results or are running against Republicans who supported his impeachment.