Republicans aren't ready for Trump-style 'fraud' claims in GOP primaries

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/vote-fraud-trump-gop/2021/11/11/554478a2-4270-11ec-9ea7-3eb2406a2e24_story.html

No paywall
https://archive.ph/AyGr8

Months after the electoral college vote was certified and Joe Biden inaugurated, Republicans are still being forced to look backward to 2020. Attempts by Donald Trump’s acolytes to audit or overturn results in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Texas and Wisconsin continue, and the former president urges these on — calling last year’s free and fair elections an insurrection and the storming of the Capitol by his supporters a peaceful protest. Meanwhile, a similar thing has happened in at least one 2021 election: While former New Jersey governor Chris Christie has urged Republicans to accept reality and move forward, unsuccessful New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli was still refusing to concede a week after a race that every news organization had called for his opponent.

What the GOP may not realize, though, is how this new trend could easily backfire on the party — if candidates start falsely insisting that caucuses and primaries, as well as general elections, have been stolen from them.

Already, the audits of last year’s election have been embarrassing to Republicans who see their folly. The Trump-inspired efforts have just as often added to Biden’s total as to Trump’s. Last month in Texas, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick paid his first $25,000 reward for a tip on illegal voting — to a Democrat whose information led to the conviction of a Republican for voting twice for Trump.

And they’ve been unanimous: There was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election, and no audit has found enough votes for either candidate to overturn a state, county or precinct. The projects have become taxpayer-funded laughingstocks.

*snip*

[CrispyQ]

1. If I win, the election's good. If I lose, it's stolen.

We better get use to it, cuz this is their playbook, now. It's gonna be Florida 2000 all over again, every election, all over the country.

[Mme. Defarge]

2. Here's what I propose ...

If that becomes the S.O.P. of the GOP, professional sports teams should start refusing to accept any losses, thereby ending their seasons and denying their fans - especially their otherwise rule breaking fans - what perhaps is a passionate pastime.