At least 23 Republican candidates running in 2024 elections have rejected or contested the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 election. These candidates include gubernatorial candidates like Mark Robinson of North Carolina and Senate candidates such as Kari Lake of Arizona, Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Sam Brown of Nevada, and Ted Cruz of Texas. The success of these election deniers in Republican primaries shows the strong influence of Trump’s ongoing campaign of election lies within the party.
Governors and election chiefs play crucial roles in setting voting rules and certifying election results, while senators can object to the congressional counting of electoral votes and advocate for national election legislation. Among the Republican nominees for governor, state elections chief, and US Senate, at least five governors, four elections chiefs, and 14 Senate candidates have rejected Biden’s victory in 2020, with some explicitly calling the election “stolen” while others have cast doubt on the outcome with vaguer rhetoric.
Some of the candidates included on the list have followed through with their plans to vote against counting Biden’s electoral votes on January 6, 2021, while others have changed their stance after a mob stormed the Capitol. Each candidate has a unique perspective on the 2020 election, with some being incumbents who used their offices to support Trump’s efforts to overturn his defeat, and others being longshots in Democratic-dominated states.
Candidates like Indiana Rep. Jim Banks and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey have shown support for overturning Biden’s victory in their actions and statements. For example, Banks voted to object to the congressional count of Biden’s victories in Pennsylvania and Arizona, while Morrisey joined the Texas-led lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to overturn Biden’s win. These candidates continue to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Biden’s victory.
Other candidates, like former college basketball star Royce White and businessman Bernie Moreno, have shifted their stance on the 2020 election over time. White sported “Trump Won!” on his head during a Big3 league game in 2023, while Moreno initially acknowledged Biden’s victory but later claimed the election was “rigged.” The mixed views on the 2020 election among the Republican candidates reflect the ongoing influence of Trump’s false claims within the party.
