What we are tracking:
Announced and/or filed candidates running for Attorney General in 2022. We will be updating this tracker throughout the 2022 election cycle.
Methodology:
To qualify as an Election Denier, a candidate must meet one or more of the criteria below:
Falsely claimed former President Trump won the 2020 election instead of the legitimate winner, President Joe Biden.
Spread lies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election in public fora, including in social media, press statements, and/or comments to press.
Called for a “forensic audit” of the 2020 presidential election after the results were certified and/or officially audited and/or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
Promoted conspiracies about the 2020 presidential election in public fora, including in social media, press statements, and/or comments to press.
Took actions to undermine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, including: filed or supported litigation seeking to overturn the results; and/or promoted/participated in a Stop the Steal sponsored/branded event or rally.
There are 30 Attorney General contests in 2022.
As of October 1, 2022, at least 11 Election Deniers are running for Attorney General in 10 states. This means that one-third of Attorney General contests include an Election Denier.
The table below includes the list of candidates that are actively running for Attorney General in 2022 as of October 1, 2022. The table contains candidate name, party, and whether they’ve been coded as an Election Denier using the methodology section above.
*Candidates with open filings from a past election cycle that do not
appear to be actively running are not included in the tracker. Actively
running means that a candidate has announced they are running and/or has
an active website and/or has recent filings or activity relating to the
2022 cycle as of October 2021.
Party Key
D = Democrat
R = Republican
C = Constitution
G = Green
L = Libertarian
O = Other party or no party
This section includes press statements, news coverage including comments, or social media posts by AG Election Denier candidates.
Advance Local: Steve Marshall at White House today in support of Trump’s election fight
Tampa Bay Times: Florida’s Ashley Moody disavows politics, but fights Trump’s battles
Politico: Florida’s top prosecutor once sued Trump. Now she’s fighting for his reelection.
NY Times: 77 Days: Trump’s Campaign to Subvert the Election
Breitbart: Kobach: Texas Case Challenges Election Directly at Supreme Court
Vice News: GOP May Nominate a Pro-Secession Christian Nationalist for Maryland Attorney General
WYPR: Michael Peroutka, Republican candidate for MD Attorney General - minute ~16:00
Maryland Election Beat: The Latest from Michael Peroutka - minute ~16:00 & ~27:00
Facebook: The Republican Forum for Candidates for Maryland Attorney General - minute ~7:00 & ~18:00
NY Times: Michigan Officials Detail a Brazen Voting Machine Scheme by Trump Supporters
Iron Mountain Daily News: Trump endorses lawyer for Michigan AG
Detroit Metro Times: Conspiracy-peddling lawyer is running for Michigan attorney general
Chattah approvingly shared a link to the video linked above, which includes a section on “American Election Fraud” beginning at 0:53, along with other conspiratorial “news.”
The video goes onto share screenshots of articles from the Federalist and Daily Signal that characterize as serious various frivolous 2020 election lawsuits.
Later in the video, it lists as a sign of positive progress a letter signed by state legislators in Oct 2021 demanding that the 2020 vote be decertified.
Politico: Trump endorses scandal-plagued Ken Paxton for Texas attorney general