Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) accused Democrats on Sunday of having a “passion” for stealing elections – offering no back up to a claim that falls in line with grievances often expressed by former President Trump.
Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo asked Gingrich on “Sunday Morning Futures” whether Republicans were doing enough to “ensure a free and fair election in 2024.” Gingrich responded by suggesting that Democrats “steal” close elections because there are not enough strict election laws in the country.
“Well, I think it’s probably almost impossible under current law to ensure an accurate election,” he said. “And I think the only Republican strategy in the long run is to pick issues and win by margins so big that they can’t steal it. If you have a very close election, Democrats have a passion for stealing them.”
He claimed that while Republican states are beginning to enact stronger election laws, he does not believe Democratic-led states are doing the same.
“And we have — we’re gradually in the Republican states beginning to tighten up the election law. But in states dominated by Democrats, like New York, Illinois, California, you just have to assume that the machine will steal as much as it can,” he added.
Former President Trump and his allies have decried that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him amid unproven claims of voter fraud. His claims of voter fraud in the election were a contributing factor that led to the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the Capitol, where rioters aimed to prevent the 2020 election results from being certified.
Since then, many Republicans have stoked fears of unproven voter fraud in elections. Former Arizona gubernatorial GOP candidate Kari Lake refused to concede the results of her election and subsequently launched multiple legal challenges, most of them being dismissed.