Article Summary –
A report from nonpartisan organization States United Action notes that nearly one-third of lawmakers in Pennsylvania’s state House and almost half of the Senate are ‘election deniers’, defined as people who falsely claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 election or engage in conspiracy theories surrounding that election. These election deniers are causing concern that they could push for barriers to voting, hamper election administration, and erode trust in elections. The report also points out that since the 2020 election, Republicans in Pennsylvania’s House and Senate have continued to spread election disinformation, including attempts to roll back a mail-in voting law and calling for forensic investigations into the election.
Election Deniers in Pennsylvania’s Legislature Surpass Other States, Report States
About one-third of Pennsylvania’s state House and almost half of the Senate are election deniers, reveals a report by States United Action. This D.C.-based nonpartisan organization, in March, conducted an analysis of election deniers in seven state legislatures including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and New Mexico.
These states were major players in attempts to overturn the 2020 election and have become hubs for election misinformation, claims the “States of Denial” report by States United.
It found that Pennsylvania’s state Legislature has the highest number of election deniers, constituting 34% of the General Assembly. This includes 31.5% in the state House and 44% in the state Senate. All election deniers in both chambers are Republican, mirroring trends in other state legislatures and Congress.
The report warns that such election deniers can push for voting barriers, create difficulties in election administration, and weaken trust in elections. It urges voters to be informed about the broad election powers of state legislators and to ensure those elected can be trusted to strengthen the state’s elections.
The online report further documents what each Pennsylvania lawmaker has done to earn the election denier label. Notably, it reflects on GOP lawmakers who frequently urged Congress to delay certifying the 2020 election results.
Following the sending of a letter by 21 state senators asking for such a delay, armed rioters, including Pennsylvanians, attempted to overthrow a democratically elected government on Jan 6, 2021.
Post the 2020 election, Pennsylvania’s Republican legislators have continued to spread election disinformation, including attempts to revoke a mail-in voting law and demand probes into the 2020 election. Despite repeated lawsuits to discredit and overturn the 2020 election, the courts found no evidence of wrongdoing in the election.
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