Republicans to Trump: American Elections Are Not Rigged, You Must Accept the Outcome

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–October 21, 2016.  At Wednesday night’s debate, and again Thursday at his rally, Donald Trump declared his unwillingness to respect the electoral process that is the foundation of American democracy by refusing to accept the outcome of the election. American elections are not rigged. Peaceful transfers of power are a hallmark of our republic – and the envy of the world.

The backlash from fellow Republicans has been swift, leaving Trump increasingly isolated after members of his own party repudiated his position in forceful terms:

Reactions to Trump’s Comments at Debate and Post-Debate Rally:

Elected Officials

Senator Bob Corker (TN), 10/19/16: “It is imperative that Donald Trump clearly state that he will accept the results of the election when complete.”

Senator Jeff Flake (AZ), 10/19/16: “.@realDonaldTrump saying that he might not accept election results is beyond the pale”

Senator Lindsey Graham (SC), 10/19/16: “Like most Americans I have confidence in our democracy and election system… If he loses, it will not be because the system is ‘rigged’ but because he failed as a candidate.”

Senator Ben Sasse (NE), 10/20/16: “Talking about rigged elections with zero evidence is dangerous because it erodes trust without justification and kindles cynicism that undermines self-government… Likewise, every America — Republican, Democrat, or Independent — should absolutely condemn voter intimidation or acts of violence.”

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, 10/20/16: “Gov. Scott Walker says Republican presidential nominee has to accept results of the election, even though Trump hasn’t said whether he will if Hillary Clinton wins. WLUK-TV reports Thursday that Walker said following an event in Green Bay that ‘The bottom line is whether he does or doesn’t, there’s going to be a new president.’”

Conservative Radio Host Laura Ingraham, 10/19/16: “He should have said he would accept the results of the election. There is no other option unless we’re in a recount again.”

Former McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt, 10/20/16: “It’s absolutely unprecedented for any presidential candidate in the history of the country.”

Former Counsel to Bush/Cheney Campaign Ben Ginsberg, 10/20/16: “I think you’ve seen many leaders of the [Republican] party say our elections are not rigged in the past few days. Of the 15 closest states right now, more or less, 11 of them have Republican secretaries of state so that the responsibility for counting the votes – while there’s a check and balance system in every state – really rests with republican elected officials.” [MSNBC All In, 10/20/16]

Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) 10/16/16: “States, backed by tens of thousands of GOP and DEM volunteers, ensure integrity of electoral process. Elections are not rigged.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (SC), 10/6/16: “I don’t think it’s good for democracy to have a major candidate for president doubt the outcome,’ Graham told CNN’s Kate Bolduan and John Berman on ‘At This Hour.’ ‘But being rigged means it’s rigged against you and I think Mr. Trump’s fate is in his own hands.

Senator John Kasich (OH), 10/19/16: “No!” Kasich said emphatically when asked on “CBS This Morning” if the election is rigged. “Look, to say that elections are rigged and all these votes are stolen, that’s like saying we never landed on the moon, frankly. That’s how silly it is,” added Kasich, who noted that his first statewide election was “extremely close.”

Senator Rand Paul (KY), 10/17/16: “The Courier Journal reports, Paul spoke to a Republican student group at St. Xavier High School in Louisville Monday stating concerns of rebellion that some Trump supporters have called for are “overstated” and the elections are accurately recorded.”

Representative Doug Collins (GA-9), 10/17/16: “When Trump says it’s fixed or rigged, my hope is that it’s taken in the vein that the media is against me – not that the voting process is… We can argue the edges, but let’s not cut into the exoskeleton.”

Representative Peter King (NY-2), 10/17/16: “Is it legally rigged? No it’s not. Whoever wins, wins.”

Former Arizona Governor and Former Secretary of State Jan Brewer, 10/17/16: “Even former Gov. Jan Brewer (R, Arizona’s former secretary of state and a top Trump supporter, said: ‘I don’t think there’s a lot of fraud going on.’  Asked whether Arizona’s election results would be rigged, Brewer told The Arizona Republic: ‘Absolutely not in Arizona.’”

Ohio Secretary of State John Husted, 10/17/16: “First of all, I can assure Donald Trump I am in charge of elections in Ohio, and they’re not going to be rigged… Times have gotten tougher for a lot of people who’ve seen their incomes drop during a period where many people have gotten very wealthy. So they’re frustrated by those kinds of things. But our institutions like our election system is one of the bedrocks of American democracy. We should not question it. Or the legitimacy of it.” [Newsroom, CNN, 10/17/16]

• Husted on Trump’s comments: “Well, it’s irresponsible. He should focus on issues that matter to people… Give them some hope. Don’t create hopelessness in our country. Don’t make people feel despair.”

Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, 10/17/16: “Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said Monday she has ‘full confidence’ in the state’s decentralized election system, despite broad claims by Republican Donald Trump that the presidential election will be ‘rigged.’

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, 10/17/16: “Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp on Monday joined the tide of Republicans and elections officials who pushed back on Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that a ‘rigged election’ would help Hillary Clinton win in November. Kemp said Georgia’s ‘battle-tested voting equipment and the election officials who manage the system have earned voters’ confidence’ with more than 45 million votes cast and tabulated. ‘As Georgia’s chief elections official,’ he added, ‘I have worked tirelessly to ensure Georgians have safe, accessible, and fair elections in our state.’”

Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson, 9/8/16: “I hate the fact that people are questioning whether the outcome of an election could be rigged.”

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, 10/17/16: “‘Iowa has got one of the cleanest, best election systems in the country and I guarantee every eligible Iowa voter will be able to cast their ballot for the Nov. 8 election,’ added Pate, who said he wanted to clear away any ‘smoke’ over rigged elections by noting the many checks and balances Iowa has to maintain integrity and ferret out fraud.”

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargrett, 10/18/16: “I believe Secretary Clinton and Gov. Pence both talked about, we’re going to accept the results of the election. And in this country, we have a transfer of power that, in my mind, works better than any other country in the world.”

Office of the Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, 10/17/16: “‘Donald Trump has been tweeting about elections being rigged, but he offers no evidence of such,’ Secretary of State Communications Director Lynn Bartels said in a statement to Denver7. ‘I can say on Twitter I’m a super model, but that doesn’t make it so.’”

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman, 10/17/16: “[It’s] irresponsible for a candidate to be casting doubt on the election process and just making these sweeping statements that the election is rigged already and that the outcome is predetermined.”

Philadelphia GOP City Commissioner Al Schmidt, 10/17/16: “The real threat to the integrity of elections in Philadelphia isn’t voter fraud… The real threat to the integrity of elections is irresponsible accusations that undermine confidence in the electoral process.”

Former Romney Policy Adviser Lanhee Chen, 10/11/16: “Credible Republicans have to be a note of sobriety, and we do have to respect the outcome of the election.”

Former George W. Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, 10/16/16: “[If] Donald Trump loses and fights the outcome, it will make many of his followers, which means millions of people, question the legitimacy of our American government. That’s destructive and corrosive.”

Former George W. Bush Aide Tony Fratto, 10/16/16: “You hate to have to fight something like this, but it is very corrosive, so you do have to fight it. You don’t want it to even pick up with a small segment of the population. Reince and Ryan and McConnell will have to concede for him, for the party. They just have to take things out of his hands.”

Former McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt, 10/16/16: “What this would be is an assault on the foundations of the long-established traditions of the country, an assault on democracy, vandalizing it.”

Robert Kelner, an attorney that has represented the RNC, NRCC and NRSC: “Donald Trump’s effort to stir up trouble at polling places and to question, without any factual foundation, the fairness of the general election is a dangerous and unprecedented attack on our democratic institutions.”

Bill Kristol, 10/17/16: “The only ‘large scale voter fraud’ going on this year is the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign.”