The Republican party has fully embraced former President Donald Trump's lie that victory in the 2020 election was "stolen" by Democrats engaged in widespread voter fraud.
Under the guise of "election security," Republican state legislatures have passed voter suppression laws targeting people of color and likely-Democratic voters. They've completed or launched expensive "audits" of their state's ballots only to further reinforce the fact that fraud didn't play a role in the election outcome.
In fact, much of the rare instances of attempted illegal voting uncovered have been committed by Republicans themselves.
For instance, Nevada Republican Donald Hartle railed on television that someone used his late wife's ballot to illegally vote. The scandal became a national Republican talking point that "dead people" were voting in Nevada—until Hartle was charged for allegedly forging his wife's signature and submitting the ballot himself.
Far-right Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a major proponent of Trump's election delusions, offered 25 thousand dollar reward to anyone who came forward with instances of illegal voting. He was forced to pay up after a liberal poll worker confirmed that a registered Republican in his 70s voted twice.
And in Virginia, where Republicans saw a major victory in the gubernatorial race last week, election officials confirmed to News4 Washington that Republican Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin's son, who is 17, attempted to vote multiple times despite repeatedly being turned away for being underage.
Fairfax County Registrar Scott Konopasek emphasized that it doesn't appear Youngkin's son broke any laws and that the teenager's efforts to vote were unsuccessful.
Given the Republican party's constant efforts to uncover nonexistent widespread election fraud, the party's critics didn't hesitate to mock Youngkin and the GOP's election hysteria.
hey @GlennYoungkin, i found some election fraud for youhttps://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— Ally Sammarco (@Ally Sammarco) 1636142180
It\u2019s ALWAYS projectionhttps://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— \ud83e\udd83Imani Gandied Yams\ud83e\udd83 (@\ud83e\udd83Imani Gandied Yams\ud83e\udd83) 1636142473
About that voter fraud\u2026https://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— Aleks Death to Fascism | \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89 (@Aleks Death to Fascism | \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89) 1636141066
Lol. Not even shockedhttps://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— Felix Trammell (@Felix Trammell) 1636140927
Aren\u2019t these the same people who regularly cry \u201cvoter fraud\u201d every time one of their candidates legitimately loses?https://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— TonyRush (@TonyRush) 1636148776
Well well well, Glenn. Your son is spreading his hypocritical GOP wings already? Sorry he couldn't vote for ya.https://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— AGH (@AGH) 1636143138
Some said double standards were at play.
Tell me more, my former colleagues in the GOP, why it is some people think there is fraud in our elections. Also, explain how this would be dealt with if the kid wasn't rich, related to powerful people, and not white.https://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480\u00a0\u2026— Jeff Timmer (@Jeff Timmer) 1636143900
Thank god his name isn't Chelsea Clinton or Hunter Biden https://t.co/Nm2ZaCZWSW
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) November 5, 2021
Tell me a kid is white without telling me they're white: https://t.co/abjFKIctKk
— lake (@lakeisla) November 5, 2021
Youngkin will be sworn in as Governor of Virginia on January 15.
