As midterms heat up, lawmakers feeling good about ballot box security

As the Senate Intelligence Committee sends recommendations to states on securing election systems, lawmakers from both parties say they are confident that Congress can overcome partisan tensions around Russia investigations and actually help ensure the sanctity of the ballot box in November.

“This is Congress, we’re used to having fights and coming together to do our work,” said Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, who has carved out a cyber role for himself on the House Oversight and Government Reform, Homeland Security, and Intelligence panels. “Relationships are not at risk” due to stresses over the House and Senate investigations into Russian activities aimed at the 2016 elections and beyond, Hurd said.