From Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07)’s reelection campaign:
Yesli Vega Embraces Election Conspiracy; Hesitates to Recognize the Legitimacy of the President
Extremist Vega Fails to Give “Yes or No Answer When Pressed” on Whether Biden was Legitimately Elected
FREDERICKSBURG, VA – U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger today is responding to new reports on Yesli Vega doubting the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.
Vega, who is endorsed by several election deniers, refused to “give a yes or no answer when pressed” by the Washington Post about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.
A spokesman for Vega did not respond to a request for comment for this article. … [Vega] would not give a yes or no answer when pressed, taking issue with the question as something she said she believed did not matter to voters in her district, noting Jan. 6 was a long time ago.
When asked about former President Trump’s lies about a stolen election, Vega reportedly responded:
“I am not Donald Trump, I don’t know what goes on in his mind, and I can’t speak to what he stated. … You can call him and ask him about those comments, but I’m not gonna go there, because he has nothing to do with this race, and I have yet to talk to voters who are concerned about that.”
In an April 20, 2022 GOP candidate forum during the VA-07 Republican primary, Vega questioned the legitimacy of the election, saying in part:
“We have a lot of evidence that continues by the way to come out — that the liberal media doesn’t report on it because they don’t want the American people to know — there’s evidence that continues to come out that indicates that the 2020 election was interfered with.”
Vega has been endorsed by multiple elected officials who continue to spread falsehoods about the 2020 election — including U.S. Representatives Jim Jordan (R-OH), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who will stump for Vega later this month.
Congressman Denver Riggleman, a Republican who endorsed Spanberger, pointed out that he could not support “facts-challenged individuals,” like Vega, running for office:
[Congressman Riggleman] pointed to … [Vega’s] acceptance of an endorsement from Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, a GOP activist and the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas who remains under scrutiny by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol for her efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
…
Riggleman’s successor, [Rep. Bob] Good, who also falsely claimed the election was stolen, has endorsed Vega. … Multiple members of the House Freedom Caucus endorsed Vega, and its political arm says she will join the caucus if elected.
Vega’s concerning comments about the legitimacy of U.S. elections came during the same April 20th forum where Vega sympathized with the January 6 insurrectionists, who she claimed have been “persecuted” for attacking the U.S. Capitol and the law enforcement who defended it.
“My opponent has failed to deliver any plan to make the lives of Virginians better. Instead, she is embracing support from those who cast doubt on the legitimacy of our elections and sow disorder in our nation,” said Spanberger. “That’s the same chaos that we saw erupt at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. My opponent’s failure to acknowledge the legitimacy of a duly elected President is another sign that she is far out of touch with Virginians. She is not ready to lead at a time when democracy at home – and abroad – is under threat.”
BACKGROUND
Spanberger was in the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and witnessed firsthand the effort to subvert America’s electoral process and toss out the results of a free and fair election.
Earlier this year, Spanberger was ranked the most bipartisan Member of Congress from Virginia and one of the most bipartisan Members of Congress overall.
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