Five Republican election deniers lose governor races
Democrats gained control of Congress in Tuesday's midterms, ending the bids of five GOP candidates who challenged the 2020 presidential results.
By Grace Sullivan ·
Five Republican candidates who challenged the 2020 presidential election lost their races for governor in key swing states on Tuesday. The defeats followed a strong showing for Democrats, who retook control of both chambers of the US Congress. The candidates represented Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia.
Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona, Congressman John James of Michigan, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity of Pennsylvania, and Congressman Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin all conceded defeat. They were joined by billionaire Rick Jackson, who lost the gubernatorial race in Georgia. All five had cast doubt on Joe Biden's victory or voted to block the certification of the 2020 results.
Jackson had described Biden's win as "totally ridiculous" during a campaign event earlier this year. He criticized Georgia state officials for not finding extra votes as President Donald Trump requested. Biggs and Tiffany voted in the US House to overturn the 2020 results in January 2021. Both men also signed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
James was not in Congress during the 2020 certification process because he was running for the US Senate. He won a House seat in the 2022 midterms. Although he initially acknowledged Biden's victory, James reversed his stance in June. He told podcaster Benny Johnson that the 2020 election was "rigged and manipulated." Garrity, elected in 2020, campaigned with Trump to reverse his defeat. She spoke at a Pennsylvania rally on January 5, 2021, urging lawmakers to decertify the results.
Tiffany, Garrity, and Jackson have since clarified their positions and acknowledged that Biden won the 2020 election. Biggs and James have not made similar statements. Their offices were contacted for comment but had not responded as of the latest updates. The loss of these five races shifts power in states that have flipped between parties in recent presidential elections.
Governors in these states hold influence over voting access, election administration, and congressional redistricting. Trump has pushed state leaders to redraw congressional maps to benefit Republicans over the past year and a half. Some Democratic-led states, including California under Governor Gavin Newsom, have pursued their own redistricting efforts. The momentum for these changes may shift following Tuesday's results.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican who faced term limits, said on Wednesday that he will not call a special legislative session to redraw maps. This decision allows Democratic successor Keisha Lance Bottoms to take office before any changes are made. Trump, who is ineligible for re-election under the US Constitution, told The New York Times on Tuesday night that he is "absolutely willing" to accept the midterm results. He pledged to work with the new Democratic leadership in Congress.
The 2028 presidential race will see these battleground states play critical roles in determining the next leader. The current administration is entering its final two years. The outcome of the midterms sets the stage for future political contests in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
