Political Leaders Denounce Democrats Who Elevate Election Deniers in Republican Primaries

In a new statement issued today, 35 former Democratic elected officials from across the country condemned Democratic efforts to boost election deniers in GOP primaries.

So far this year, Democratic organizations have spent millions of dollars elevating extremist candidates who deny the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, including ahead of Michigan’s August 2 primary. There, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently purchased TV ads designed to aid the election denier who is challenging Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), who, last year, voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump.

“Democrats can and should fiercely compete in elections with Republicans,” said former Amb. Tim Roemer (D-IN), a co-chair of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus who chaired the New Democrat Coalition while he served in Congress.

Roemer continued: “We will differ on policy and advocate contrasting ideas. But we should never engage in election tactics that elevate and support election deniers and candidates who propagate lies about the 2020 election. The DCCC should never be working on Trump’s side in Republican primaries to bolster and promote a candidate who undermines our constitution and democratic system.”

The full statement from these 35 former Democratic elected officials is as follows:

As former members of Congress and the Cabinet, we oppose any practice that intentionally elevates election deniers. And as members of the Democratic Party, we are dismayed by the recent practice of Democratic organizations intervening in Republican primaries to promote candidates who deny the outcome of the last presidential election. Examples include Democratic investments to weaken truth-telling Republican candidates in Michigan, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Maryland.

These destructive primary tactics aim to elevate Republican candidates who Democrats hope they can more easily beat in November. But it is risky and unethical to promote any candidate whose campaign is based on eroding trust in our elections. We must stop this practice, and stop today.

Our democracy is fragile, therefore we cannot tolerate political parties attempting to prop up candidates whose message is to erode our dedication to fair elections.

Sincerely,

• The Hon. Jason Altmire, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-PA)
• The Hon. Les AuCoin, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-OR)
• The Hon. Mike Barnes, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-MD)
• The Hon. James J. Blanchard, Fmr. Gov (D-MI)
• The Hon. Don Bonker, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-WA)
• The Hon. John Russell Carnahan, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-MO)
• The Hon. Bob Carr, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-MI)
• The Hon. John J. Cavanaugh III, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-NE)
• The Hon. Jerry Costello, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-IL)
• The Hon. Byron Dorgan, Fmr. U.S. Sen. (D-ND)
• The Hon. Richard A. Gephardt, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-MO)
• The Hon. Dan Glickman, Fmr. U.S. Sec. of Ag. & Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-KS)
• The Hon. Jane Harman, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-CA)
• The Hon. Gary Hart, Fmr. U.S. Sen. (D-CO)
• The Hon. Dennis Hertel, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-MI)
• The Hon. Elizabeth Holtzman, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-NY)
• The Hon. Jim Jones, Fmr. Ambassador & Fmr. U.S. Rep (D-OK)
• The Hon. Peter Kostmayer, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-PA)
• The Hon. Mary Landrieu, Fmr. U.S. Sen. (D-LA)
• The Hon. Andrew Maguire, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-NJ)
• The Hon. Marjorie Margolies, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-PA)
• The Hon. Matthew McHugh, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-NY)
• The Hon. Carol Moseley-Braun, Fmr. Ambassador & Fmr. U.S. Sen. (D-IL)
• The Hon. Richard Ottinger, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-NY)
• The Hon. Tim Roemer, Fmr. Ambassador & Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-IN)
• The Hon. Roy R. Romer, Fmr. Gov (D-CO)
• The Hon. William Sarpalius, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-TX)
• The Hon. Patricia S. Schroeder, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-CO)
• The Hon. Philip Sharp, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-IN)
• The Hon. David Skaggs, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-CO)
• The Hon. Bart Stupak, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-MI)
• The Hon. Richard Swett, Fmr. Ambassador & U.S. Rep. (D-NH)
• The Hon. Robin Tallon, Fmr. U.S. Rep. (D-SC)
• The Hon. Mark Udall, Fmr. U.S. Sen. (D-CO)
• The Hon. Tim Wirth, Fmr. U.S. Sen. (D-CO)