Virginia Republicans Double Down on Election Conspiracies As Other GOP Leaders Congratulate Biden and Harris

Virginia Republicans Double Down on Election Conspiracies As Other GOP Leaders Congratulate Biden and Harris

Richmond, VA — As news networks called the presidential election for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and millions of Americans celebrated in cities across the country, Virginia Republicans spread baseless conspiracy theories about the election and refused to acknowledge reality. Even as Republican leaders like President George W. Bush congratulated Biden and Harris, Virginia Republicans continued their tradition of losing an election and then doubling down on the most extreme and out-of-touch elements of their party.

At a rally in Richmond on Saturday, Senator Amanda Chase, currently the leading GOP candidate for governor, pushed baseless claims about voter fraud that mirrored accusations President Trump has made. Chase also offered a full-throated defense of two of her supporters who last week were arrested in Philadelphia carrying loaded guns outside of a vote-counting facility where they believed fraudulent ballots were being counted. Chase acknowledged they were supporters of hers who were “concerned about our country” and said the charges against them are “complete and total bull crap.”

Not to be outdone, Chase’s colleague in the House of Delegates, Ronnie Campbell, posted a message on his Facebook page Sunday night asking supporters to sign his petition urging the Supreme Court to order a new election in which absentee voting would not be allowed. Campbell soon deleted his post after it became clear his plan would disenfranchise military service members who overwhelmingly vote absentee, and posted a different petition demanding a new election be held while news outlets are censored from reporting vote totals.

These conspiracies weren’t limited to a few fringe Republicans. Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Rich Anderson released a statement soon after the election alleging a completely fabricated claim that Democrats had attempted to “manufacture votes in key states.” He has yet to denounce the conspiracy theories spread by other members of his party or address the news that Biden and Harris have won the election.

Delegate Kirk Cox – who is likely to announce his gubernatorial campaign soon – has also refused to denounce these conspiracy theories. Instead he took to Twitter last week to allege election fraud and the possibility of illegal votes.

“The rest of the country is working hard to move on from the national nightmare of the last four years, but Virginia Republicans seem intent on going down with the ship. They’ve let conspiracy theorists and right-wing extremists take over their party, and now we’re seeing the results: hare-brained schemes about holding a new election and supporting people who drove to Philadelphia with loaded guns to disrupt vote counting,” said DPVA Communications Director Grant Fox. “If Kirk Cox or any other Republican tries to pretend they’re more moderate when they campaign next year, remember they only encouraged this outrageous behavior.”