Trump’s strategy to derail the Trump election result has targeted key states, such as Wisconsin, where Republican Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo is backed by top 2020 deniers. But she’s not the only one running for the office. In 18 states, there are already multiple election deniers running for the same office. Among them are 21 candidates for secretary of state, which oversees voting and oversight in a state. In Illinois, 11 candidates are running for attorney general, and two are also candidates in the primary for attorney general.

Trump targeted races to run elections as a way to make a statement about the 2020 election

There are many reasons why Trump would target races to run elections as a way to send a message about the 2020 election. One reason is that he wants to make sure the election is free and fair. As an example, he targeted Pennsylvania races for election officials. Those candidates include paid precinct judges and volunteer poll watchers. But there is also another reason: Trump and his supporters want to make sure elections are more secure. And they want to do it by getting rid of election officials and volunteers.

Republicans have been attempting to turn the tide in presidential battleground states by endorsing candidates who parrot Trump’s lies and exert extraordinary political control over voting systems. But these elections may also be crucial to the future of free and fair elections. For example, in Pennsylvania, the GOP nominated Doug Mastriano as governor. Then, he led a brazen attempt to rig the election by decertifying Joe Biden’s victory.

Another strategy Trump used to influence the results of Michigan’s election was targeting races to run elections for county boards of canvassers. These officials, who had long been bulwarks for the Trump campaign, have been targeted as well. A West Michigan lawyer, Matthew DePerno, is seeking the GOP nomination for attorney general. DePerno waged a long and unsuccessful legal battle over a vote-counting error in Antrim County and built his campaign on a pledge to expose fraud.

Republican lawmakers also challenged the outcome of the 2020 election, backing lawsuits to delay the count or overturn results. Republicans also supported calls for an external review of the results. In Virginia, for instance, 24% of GOP state lawmakers supported audits of the 2020 election results. These tactics are not surprising, considering the Republican party’s embrace of Trump’s lies and the threat to future elections.

Republican candidates for secretary of state are backed by key 2020 deniers

In Nevada’s 2022 election, two Republican candidates for secretary of state are backed in part by prominent deniers of the upcoming presidential election. John Cardiff Gerhardt, a prominent 2020 election denier, has been an open advocate for QAnon, while his opponent, Socorro Keenan, has made allusions to a conspiracy theory that claims a global “cabal” rigged the vote. While the only Democratic candidate running for secretary of state is Cisco Aguilar, a Democrat and attorney who has a long list of political and professional accomplishments, is not backed by any 2020 denier, his campaign appears to be well-funded. As of April, he reported $561,000 in campaign cash on hand.

In the six states where Trump has disputed the election results, the Republican candidates for secretary of state are backed in part by Trump’s administration. The president’s 2020 endorsements, which include 111 candidates, have made it clear that he is committed to pursuing the truth of debunked claims than to pursue electoral integrity. While it’s unlikely that these candidates will win GOP nominations, their efforts could pose a threat to the integrity of future elections.

In Wisconsin, the state GOP opted not to endorse candidates for the statewide office. The primary in the state is scheduled for Aug. 9. In Michigan, Donald Trump endorsed Kristina Karamo, a Republican candidate for secretary of state. The candidate gained notoriety after falsely claiming that there were irregularities in the 2020 Detroit election. While the aforementioned races are largely contested, the neighboring Democratic secretary of state has warned voters about the trend of election-deniers.

Wisconsin’s Raffensperger resisted Trump’s calls to overturn election results

Raffensperger, a Republican, has resisted President Trump’s call to overturn the election results in Wisconsin, even though he was the candidate of the Republican Party. The president has also called Michigan’s Republican state leaders to the White House to urge them to do the same. Raffensperger has also declined Trump’s calls to overturn election results in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Similarly to the attempts by President Trump to persuade the president of Ukraine to investigate Biden, Trump’s conversation with Raffensperger is highly questionable. Trump called Raffensperger and asked him to “find votes” and “deploy investigators” to re-run the election, which is a violation of state and federal law. Trump’s threat can even be interpreted as extortion.

The President’s calls to overturn Wisconsin’s election results have led many legal scholars to consider them a flagrant abuse of power and could be classified as a criminal offense. But Raffensperger has rejected Trump’s allegations, saying that he is simply relying on conspiracy theories. If the President insists on overturning the election results, he must first find 11,780 votes, which he cannot do.

The President’s actions are unconstitutional. Trump has repeatedly engaged in public and private campaigns to overturn election results, including launching lawsuits in states that were won by Joe Biden. Unfortunately, these efforts have failed. With the election results certified in every state and the Supreme Court ruling against Trump, his legal campaign will have little or no effect. In fact, it’s not likely that Trump will be allowed to keep his office for a long time.

In addition to Trump’s attacks on election officials, Republicans have introduced a petition to limit the powers of state elections commissioners. While the petition cites a litany of disputed fraud claims, it is unlikely to garner enough signatures to trigger a special session. But Raffensperger remains unconvinced by these attacks and will continue his campaign to protect Wisconsin’s democratic process.

Kristina Karamo is running against incumbent Democrat Jocelyn Benson

Progressive groups are mobilizing to defeat Republican candidate Kristina Karamo in the state’s secretary of state race. The End Citizens United/Let America Vote organization has spent $7 million in secretary of state and attorney general races supporting candidates who support the Trump administration’s “big lie” agenda. Benson’s campaign has endorsed other candidates who have endorsed Trump’s big lies.

Former President Donald Trump visited Michigan earlier this month to campaign with both candidates. Benson, who is a Democratic secretary of state, has a $1.7 million cash on hand. Benson’s campaign is running a pro-democracy message, comparing Karamo’s $230,000 campaign funds to her campaign’s $1.7 million cash on hand.

The race is close to the wire, but both candidates have made impressive contributions to their campaigns. Benson has spent nearly $1.5 million of her campaign’s cash on hand. Karamo raised about $230,000 of her own money and had $133,000 left over after expenses. Despite her early endorsement, Karamo is still far behind Benson, who has raised more than $1 million to date.

Despite claiming to be a Christian, Karamo’s past experience is anything but. She spent several weeks as a poll challenger in Detroit after the 2020 election. In an interview on her podcast, she called herself a “whistleblower” and traveled to Arizona to praise a Republican “audit.” Benson’s endorsement has been questioned in the Michigan primary, but Karamo is backing her.

Despite her recent endorsement from Michigan Republicans, Karamo has yet to win party endorsement in the general election. She has a high percentage of support in the GOP-backed field, but she still faces a steep hill to climb. She has a strong support base, including former president Donald Trump. As a result, her election-related endorsement could have a major impact on the outcome of the presidential election in 2024.

Georgia’s Doug Mastriano defends power to “decertify” voting machines

While many political leaders have opposed the use of “decertify” in elections, Georgia’s Doug Mastriano has defended the power to do so in an essay. The paper was published in 2001 and questions whether the apolitical U.S. military should fall under civilian control. Mastriano was a professor at the U.S. Army War College and will retire as Elihu Root Chair in Military Studies in 2021.

Mastriano has defended the power to “decertify” voting machines in Pennsylvania, after his state’s secretary of state decided to decertify elections in three counties. He says he has the information to make the decision. Moreover, Mastriano has said he has spoken with Trump more than a dozen times. Mastriano’s recent political career has been filled with scandal. He has been nominated by the Republican Party and defeated former congressman Lou Barletta.

Mastriano is a hard-right extremist with ties to the Christian nationalist movement. He appeared at a fringe conspiracy conference with QAnon where he claimed that the world was going through a “great awakening” and ritual child sacrifice would be exposed. He has also published several bigoted Islamophobic memes and posts. He once shared an article about a Muslim running for office.

State officials defend the legality of this action by saying that the 2020 election records will remain intact. The investigation is a clear sign of a larger problem, and a clear indication that it will continue. A lack of confidence among voters is a significant problem in an election. Mastriano’s actions should be condemned. Ultimately, voters should demand a thorough investigation.