But this is the era of the Great Lie.
Influenced by former President Donald Trump’s series on the elections he lost in 2020, many Republican voters now suspect, for no reason, the integrity of the U.S. election in general. And prominent Republicans know how to cheer on the crowd they created.
As September 14th Election Day approaches rapidly, Trump and other right-wing figures, including Newsom’s top candidate to replace Larry Elder, have begun laying the groundwork to rule out a possible Newsom victory as unfounded. at the product of democratic deception.
His effort reflects what happened in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election day, when Trump and his allies relentlessly insisted on the lie that Democrats could not beat him in an election that was not “called.” And it benefits from years of additional dishonesty, from Trump and others, who represent California as a massive illegal voting well.
Preparatory dishonesty of Trump and others
In a television interview with Newsmax on Tuesday, Trump described California’s withdrawal as “probably manipulated.” Your alleged evidence?
One: The fact that every active registered voter in California receives one ballot per ballot. There is no evidence of widespread fraud involving postal voting or any other voting in the 2020 elections.
Two: The existence of a secure system that allows California voters, such as people with disabilities, to mark their votes at home using their own computer technology, print them out, and email them for transfer to a normal ballot box.
This is, as usual, nonsense. Voters wishing to use this home printing system must obtain approval from county election officials, must have their signatures verified after the votes are cast, and are not allowed to vote more than ‘a vote. In addition, the home printing system is used by a small percentage of voters, according to the California Secretary of State’s office, only 24,248 of nearly 17.8 million voters in the 2020 general election, a skinny 0.14%.
Some other Republicans have not even bothered to offer a specific explanation for their baseless fraud allegations this week. On Tuesday, in a Fox News appearance, right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren
proclaimed that “the only thing Gavin Newsom will save is election fraud. So, as they say, ‘stay awake.’ Pay attention to the election fraud that is happening in California.”
Wednesday, at a campaign event, Elder
dit“We have heard many things that have so far been suspicious,” they stated that “they will cheat, we know” and promised to file lawsuits. Earlier in the day, he told reporters that “I think there may be messes, like in the 2020 election.” (Elder said twice that so many voters are angry about the situation under Newsom that the withdrawal will be successful anyway).
Washington Post and Los Angeles Times reporters have met with everyday voters expressing similar sentiments. And you can easily find it on California talk radio. On Wednesday, in a Southern California morning show, co-host Grant Stinchfield, who also hosts Newsmax Television, casually said, “They will cheat to win. The mail-in voting system is manipulated.”
So don’t be surprised if, after a Newsom victory, baffling fraud claims circulate on social media and right-wing media. The traps have already begun, from the very people who warn without foundation of the traps of their opponents.
