Election deniers who say Trump won in 2020 are running to be top cop in 4 battleground states
In four crucial battleground states, Republican candidates who falsely contend that Donald Trump won the 2020 election are running for state attorney general.
In four crucial battleground states, Republican candidates who falsely contend that Donald Trump won the 2020 election are running for state attorney general.
If they win, they’d serve as their states' top law enforcement officers and would have the power to use their office to tilt the outcome of presidential elections. If Trump should run again in 2024, and the outcome is close in a handful of states, the actions attorneys general are able to take could also give Trump cover to claim falsely claim victory once again.
“To the extent that election results are challenged, or that there are attempts to undermine results, it will be the state attorneys general representing the state and the results in court that perhaps matters most to protecting the will of the voters,” said Joanna Lydgate, the CEO of States United Action, a nonpartisan group that tracks the races.
Along with the governor and, in most states, the secretary of state, the state attorney general is part of a trio of elected officials who oversee, administer, defend and certify elections and election results. Election deniers are also running in many states for secretary of state and governor.
State attorneys general have the ability to launch or defend against election lawsuits — such as ones seeking to include or challenge ballots — that can ultimately affect how and which votes are or are not counted. They also provide legal guidance to election officials on how to interpret state policies governing elections and maintain prosecutorial powers for election fraud, voter intimidation and other potential election crimes.
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