The day after Donald Trump refused to say if he would accept the results of the election after making claims of “large-scale voter fraud” and a “rigged” system, more than 20 top Republican elected officials—including governors and secretaries of state—told THE WEEKLY STANDARD they have faith and confidence in the fairness of next month’s elections in their respective states.
“This election is not rigged, and it’s irresponsible to say that it is,” South Carolina governor Nikki Haley told TWS. “Faith in the democratic process is one of America’s greatest strengths, and it’s more important than the outcome of any election.”
In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback says he agrees. “Governor Brownback has repeatedly stated his full faith in the electoral system, a process leading to the peaceful transition of power that is central to a self-governing people like ours,” a Brownback spokesperson said.
Other governors specifically voiced conviction in the fairness of their state’s elections processes. Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin, once a rumored Trump vice-presidential pick, said that she has “much confidence in Oklahoma’s voting system.” Spokespeople for Idaho governor Butch Otter and Utah governor Gary Herbert also said that the governors have “utmost confidence” in their states’ election processes.
“He has not expressed any concerns about the potential for large scale fraud,” Otter’s spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for Michigan governor Rick Snyder, who has not endorsed Trump, told TWS that Michiganders “should have full confidence” in election results.
“We’re confident the 11 electoral votes in Arizona will go to the candidate who wins the most votes here,” said a spokesman for Arizona governor Doug Ducey, who has endorsed Trump but kept his distance from the candidate’s most controversial comments.
A spokesman for Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin told TWS that the state has “a strong system in place” that would “make it easy to vote but hard to cheat.” Wyoming governor Matt Mead “is not concerned about the integrity of Wyoming’s election process,” according to a spokesman. And, likewise, a spokesman for Georgia governor Nathan Deal said that “the governor does not doubt [Georgia’s process].”
Governor Pete Ricketts told TWS that Nebraska “has a tradition of holding fair elections.”
“I have every confidence in the citizens of Nebraska, polling place workers, election commissioners and the Secretary of State to continue to do so,” he said.
Governor Dennis Daugaard told TWS that “South Dakota can be very proud of the reliability and integrity of our state’s election system.” Vermont’s Republican lieutenant governor, Phil Scott, also “has no concerns about large scale voter fraud or the fairness of the election,” per his spokesperson.
In Florida and Maine, Republican governors made clear that their states had protections in place without ruling out potential voter fraud. A spokeswoman for Florida governor Rick Scott told TWS, “Governor Scott hopes for … zero percent fraud,” thanks to “67 independent supervisors of elections.” And a spokesperson for Maine governor Paul LePage, who condemned Trump for casting doubt on the fairness of the election, offered up the state’s ban on same-day registration when asked about large-scale voter fraud.
Mississippi governor Phil Bryant’s spokesman told TWS that the governor, who’s reportedly close with Trump, is confident election results in his state “will be arrived at fairly and honestly.” But Bryant is aware “that fraud exists” and could “swing an otherwise legitimate outcome,” the spokesman said.
Trump supporter and Iowa governor Terry Branstad, who has previously supported the real estate mogul’s claim that the game is rigged, told TWS through a spokesman that states would “do their level best to see that we have a fair and honest election.”
Indiana governor and vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence voiced support this week for Donald Trump’s claim of a rigged election. But his Indiana spokesman Matt Lloyd told TWS that the question of election integrity in Indiana is “absolutely” different from the question nationwide. Lloyd referred TWS to a statement from the governor’s office: “Among Governor Pence’s top priorities is ensuring the integrity of the election and that every single Hoosier vote counts.”
Meanwhile a spokesman for New Jersey governor Chris Christie also directed TWS to an earlier comment, in which Christie said he was “convinced that the election will be a fair one.”
A number of other state elected officials, including Republican secretaries of state in Alabama and Washington, disputed allegations of a rigged election.
Washington secretary of state Kim Wyman called the accusation “irresponsible” and “baseless” in a statement, and said that it “threatens to undermine voter confidence on this most basic foundation of democracy.”
Alabama secretary of state John Merrill, when asked if the election could be rigged, said, “not in Alabama.” And Delaware senate minority leader Gary Simpson said roughly the same of this state, “No, I am not concerned with large scale voting fraud taking place in Delaware.”
