Five Republican election deniers lose governor races in key US swing states

Five Republican candidates who questioned or tried to overturn the 2020 US presidential election have lost gubernatorial races in key battleground states. The defeats came in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia, according to the reported results from Tuesday's vote. The losses are being seen as part of a broader Democratic surge in the midterm elections.

The candidates included Congressman Andy Biggs in Arizona, Congressman John James in Michigan, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity in Pennsylvania, Congressman Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin and billionaire Rick Jackson in Georgia. All five had previously cast doubt on, or taken steps against, Joe Biden's 2020 victory over Donald Trump. Jackson had described Biden's win as "totally ridiculous" and criticised Georgia officials for not complying with Trump's demand to "find" extra votes.

Biggs and Tiffany voted in January 2021 to overturn the 2020 results while serving in the US House of Representatives. They also signed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all states Biden won in that election. Garrity had campaigned with Trump to reverse his defeat and appeared at a rally in Pennsylvania on 5 January 2021 calling on state lawmakers to decertify the results.

James later told a podcaster in June that the 2020 election was "rigged and manipulated", after previously acknowledging Biden's victory. The outcome matters because state governors can have significant influence over election administration, including how future contests are run and certified. That gives the results added weight ahead of the 2028 presidential race.

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The defeats also underline how positions taken during the 2020 election continue to shape political fortunes in closely contested states. The 2020 election dispute became a defining issue in Republican politics after Trump's loss, with several allies pressing state officials and lawmakers to reject or delay certification. In Georgia, the controversy was especially prominent because the state was central to Trump's efforts to overturn the result.

The reported losses suggest that voters in these swing states were not persuaded by candidates who aligned themselves with those efforts. Some of the defeated candidates have since clarified or softened their earlier positions, while others have continued to defend their past claims. It remains unclear how the new governors will approach election administration in their states, and whether the results will alter Republican strategy before 2028.

What is clear is that the races have narrowed the path for election deniers seeking top state office in pivotal battlegrounds.

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