Election-Denying Candidates Are Running to Control Voting in 23 States, Including Key Battlegrounds

As the 2026 midterms unfold, a dangerous trend is taking shape in statehouses across the country. According to a new analysis by States United Action, at least 53 candidates who have denied the 2020 election results are running for statewide offices that oversee elections in 23 states. These positions — secretaries of state, governors, and attorneys general — wield significant influence over how elections are conducted and certified.

This is not a fringe issue. Five presidential swing states are on the list, including Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan, where election-denying candidates are competing for top election oversight roles. In Arizona, for example, the GOP front-runner for governor, Rep. Andy Biggs, openly voted against certifying the 2020 election results and even pressured state lawmakers to investigate alternative ways to disrupt the certification process. Meanwhile, Georgia and Michigan will also elect new secretaries of state and governors, with candidates who reject the legitimacy of the last presidential election.

The stakes could not be higher. These offices, once considered largely bureaucratic, became battlegrounds in 2020 when Trump and his allies pressured officials to overturn legitimate results. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger famously resisted Trump's demand to "find" enough votes to flip the state, while Michigan’s Jocelyn Benson faced armed threats for refusing to cave to similar pressure.

Joanna Lydgate, CEO of States United Action, emphasizes the importance of electing officials who respect free and fair elections. "We've watched these state officials on both sides of the aisle stand up and push back when Trump has tried to interfere with elections," she said. "We know that they will do that again. But it's incredibly important that we elect people who believe in our system."

Interestingly, the number of election-denying candidates this cycle is lower than in recent years, a sign that such a platform may be a losing strategy in competitive races. Analysis from 2022 showed that Republican candidates who denied the 2020 results underperformed their GOP peers by about three percentage points on average.

Still, in states where Trump’s influence remains strong or where crowded primaries seek his endorsement, election denial remains a potent and organized force. Brendan Fischer of the Campaign Legal Center warns that election denial is a "tiny, tiny minority" but an energized and active faction within Republican politics, shaping candidates and lawmakers alike.

The presence of election deniers seeking control over election administration threatens to undermine democracy itself. As voters prepare to head to the polls, the question is clear: will we allow those who reject the very foundation of free and fair elections to oversee our voting rights? The answer will shape not just 2026, but the future of American democracy.