Gambling on Some Light Election Denialism In Pennsylvania<\/p>\n
Happy Thursday!<\/p>\n
The Republican nominee in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race is engaged in a delicate balancing act as she attempts to appeal to President Trump and his base of supporters while also trying to win over undecided voters or those who elected the state\u2019s Democratic incumbent. For a Republican in a swing state in 2026, that means finding your election denialism equilibrium.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During a news interview<\/a> on Sunday with Dennis Owens, Trump-endorsed Republican nominee Stacy Garrity, sort of, but not really, admitted that Trump lost the 2020 election. But she was\u00a0dodgy in her response and said she wanted to instead \u201clook forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Owens asked her explicitly if she believes Trump lost the election. She responded with \u201cyeah,\u201d but added, \u201cI mean, I won, and that\u2019s what I\u2019m most concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut we know there were irregularities. We know there were, I just can\u2019t tell you to what extent,\u201d she continued. \u201cBut the president seems, you know, he\u2019s very convinced that there was a lot there. And it seems like more information comes out all the time. But I\u2019d rather look forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Garrity also noted<\/a> that she would \u201cabsolutely\u201d cooperate with the Trump Justice Department\u2019s ongoing crusade to obtain sensitive voter data from states.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pennsylvania is one of many states that has not complied with the DOJ\u2019s demand for voter roll data. Despite the fact that the administration has faced over 20 losses in court, including a loss in Pennsylvania \u2014 with federal judges affirming time and time again that the administration is not entitled to this type of information \u2014 Garrity said she would comply.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf we think there\u2019s not voter fraud, then why not hand over the rolls and prove him wrong?\u201d Garrity, who has her own history with election denialism, said.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n As always, there\u2019s a lot more to unpack. Let\u2019s dig in.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some Good News in Deep Red Shasta County<\/p>\n A Shasta County judge has temporarily blocked a conspiracy theory-inspired measure in a deep red California county that has long been bogged down by election denial activity<\/a>. The measure, known as Measure B, would have banned most mail-in voting and required the hand-counting of ballots, among other problematic election-related changes.\u00a0<\/p>\n In June of this year, Shasta County voters approved Measure B<\/a>. In response, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down the election administration changes in California\u2019s Third District Court of Appeals, arguing that the proposal violates state election law.<\/p>\n Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Hanna, for the most part, agreed.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMeasure B seeks to create a whole new electoral system that would require creation of new voter rolls and re-registration of existing voters,\u201d Hanna wrote, granting a preliminary injunction on August 7. \u201cSuch a feat would be difficult under normal time frames, let alone three months before the November general election.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMeasure B would unlawfully change how elections are conducted in Shasta County,\u201d Bonta said in a statement<\/a> about last week\u2019s ruling. \u201cToday\u2019s ruling prevents Measure B from taking effect while our litigation proceeds, providing certainty that the November election will be conducted under California\u2019s established election laws. We will continue fighting to permanently strike down the measure.\u201d<\/p>\n This is not the first time the MAGA-run county has tried to pass similarly problematic election administration changes. In 2023<\/a>, the county\u2019s supervisor board \u2014 which at that point had been overrun with election deniers \u2014 attempted to adopt a hand-counting system of ballots. In response, the state implemented a ban on hand-counting ballots.\u00a0<\/p>\n Senate Dems Send Trump Admin a Warning About Illegal Voter Purges<\/p>\n A group of Senate Democrats have sent the Trump administration a warning about engaging in illegal voter purges ahead of Election Day, reminding officials in a letter that voter purges conducted within 90 days of an election are strictly prohibited by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).\u00a0<\/p>\n The letter comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration\u2019s ongoing efforts to interfere in election administration and sow seeds of doubt and fear in the country\u2019s election system. More specifically, the Trump administration has, for many months now, been attempting to force states across the country to share sensitive voter roll data with the federal government.\u00a0<\/p>\n With the 2026 midterm elections less than 90 days away, the NVRA\u2019s \u201cquiet period\u201d in which voter purges are prohibited, has now begun.\u00a0<\/p>\n In an August 5th letter addressed to then-Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a group of 30 Senate Democrats led by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) wrote: \u201cWe are writing to remind you that any efforts directing states to conduct mass voter purges, including by using the deeply flawed Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to purge voter rolls, would violate the 90-day \u2018quiet period\u2019 mandated by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRelatedly, in light of this prohibition, the Department of Justice (DOJ) should drop its ongoing litigation to compel states to provide access to their voter registration lists and acquiesce to unlawful federal list maintenance,\u201d the letter adds. \u201cWhile we have previously expressed our concern about these tactics, we remind you of the settled law protecting voters in the lead up to an election and urge you to cease these efforts immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n The Trump administration has also been trying to compel states to run their voter rolls through a proven-unreliable database<\/a> known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, which has incorrectly flagged eligible voters as being ineligible. The letter notes that Mullin\u2019s continued promotion of the use of the SAVE program has \u201cbeen proven to result in the removal of eligible voters from the voter rolls prior to the \u2018quiet period.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026 we must re-emphasize that current use of the SAVE program for list maintenance is illegal, and efforts to coerce states to conduct mass voter purges during the \u2018quiet period\u2019 are also illegal under the NVRA, despite DOJ arguments to the contrary in recent court filings,\u201d the letter adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Other Election News:<\/p>\n The New York Times: A Growing Number of Election Deniers Hold Key Local Roles in Midterms<\/a><\/p>\n TPM: Trump-Backed Election Denier Expected to Secure GOP Nomination for Wisconsin Governor<\/a><\/p>\n TPM: Following His Primary Loss, Lindell Has Questions About the Numbers<\/a><\/p>\n