As the midterm elections approach, many Republican candidates are still echoing former President Trump's claims about the 2020 election, despite a growing sentiment among voters to move on. In Georgia, Republican Senate nominee Rep. Mike Collins has reiterated his position that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, and has expressed support for compensating individuals prosecuted for storming the Capitol on January 6. This stance has raised concerns among some GOP voters, who fear it may harm Collins' chances in the general election.
Voters like Lynn, a lifelong Republican from Georgia, are expressing frustration with candidates who continue to focus on the 2020 election. Lynn told NPR that she could have easily voted for another Republican in the primary, and is now considering voting for Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff due to Collins' positions on the 2020 election. She believes that Trump's claims are "ridiculous" and that it's time for Republicans to focus on current issues. A September New York Times-Siena College poll found that just 1% of voters consider election integrity to be the top issue deciding their vote this November.
Despite the growing sentiment among voters to move on from the 2020 election, some candidates continue to see value in echoing Trump's claims. In Michigan, GOP Senate nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman, once criticized Trump's claims but has since come to embrace them. Rogers' campaign did not respond to a request for comment, but a video obtained by NPR shows him claiming that the Senate seat was stolen from him in 2024. Michigan Republican strategist Jason Roe believes that many candidates see echoing Trump's claims as a way to curry favor with the former president and his supporters.
However, Roe also notes that this strategy may not be effective in winning over voters in the general election. "I can't imagine any Republican in a general election spending any money talking about election integrity or what happened in 2020," he said. Instead, Roe believes that candidates will need to focus on current issues and concerns in order to win over voters. A September poll by the University of Georgia found that voters are more concerned about issues like the economy and healthcare than they are about the 2020 election.
Trump's continued focus on the 2020 election has also had implications for his party's chances in the midterm elections. In Georgia, Trump declined to endorse a Republican alternative to Collins, citing the candidate's correct assertion that Trump lost the state in 2020. A similar scenario played out in Texas, where Trump endorsed the controversial state attorney general, who backed his 2020 claims, and ousted Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Cornyn has since expressed frustration with Trump's continued focus on the 2020 election, saying that Republicans should focus on the current election cycle.
Some election officials, like Gabe Sterling, a veteran official with the Georgia secretary of state's office, have been vocal in disputing Trump's claims about the 2020 election. Sterling was one of the most visible officials to speak out against Trump's claims, and has continued to defend Georgia's elections in the face of criticism from Trump and his supporters. He believes that Trump's continued focus on the 2020 election is motivated by a desire to distract from other issues, such as the war in Iran and the Epstein files.
As the midterm elections approach, it remains to be seen how much of an impact Trump's continued focus on the 2020 election will have on his party's chances. However, it's clear that many voters are eager to move on from the controversy and focus on current issues. KEY_POINT: Some Republican candidates continue to back Trump's baseless claims about the 2020 election, despite a growing sentiment among voters to move on. KEY_POINT: Voters are expressing frustration with candidates who continue to focus on the 2020 election, and are instead looking for candidates who will focus on current issues. KEY_POINT: Trump's continued focus on the 2020 election has implications for his party's chances in the midterm elections.
