Election-Denying Candidates Seek Statewide Office in 23 States Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Why It Matters
With 39 states holding elections this year for statewide offices that interact directly with election administration, a new analysis has identified at least 53 candidates who have denied the results of past elections and are now seeking positions that would give them authority over certifying future ones. The findings carry potential implications for the 2028 presidential cycle and the integrity of the electoral process at the state level.
The offices in question — secretary of state, governor, and attorney general — represent the front line of election administration in the United States. Depending on the state, these officials administer elections, certify results, or interpret and enforce election law.
What Happened
States United Action, a nonprofit that has tracked candidate positions on election results since 2022, released an analysis finding that in 23 states — including five presidential swing states — candidates who have denied election results are running for offices with a direct role in certifying future elections. The analysis was shared ahead of its public release with NPR.
To qualify for the designation, States United tracks whether candidates meet at least one of five criteria, including whether they falsely claimed Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 election or supported efforts to undermine results after audits and legal challenges were completed.
Arizona stands out as a particular focal point. According to the States United analysis, candidates who have denied election results are running for all three critical statewide positions in the state. Representative Andy Biggs, the front-runner for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Arizona, voted not to certify the 2020 election results while serving in the U.S. House and made a call to a key state lawmaker to explore other means of interfering with the certification process.
Georgia and Michigan — two swing states where election officials from both parties resisted pressure to alter the 2020 results — will also elect new secretaries of state and governors this cycle, and both states currently have election-denying candidates in contention.
By the Numbers
- 53 — election-denying candidates identified by States United Action running for statewide office at this point in the 2026 midterm cycle
- 23 — states where such candidates are running, including five presidential swing states
- 39 — states holding elections for statewide positions that interact with election administration in 2026
- ~3 percentage points — the estimated electoral penalty for election denial in competitive races, according to a States United analysis of the 2022 midterms
- 2022 — the year States United began formally tracking candidate positions on the validity of election results
Zoom Out
Compared with recent cycles, the total number of election-denying candidates running in statewide races is actually down, according to Joanna Lydgate, States United’s CEO. Lydgate attributed the decline to candidates in competitive states recognizing that running on election denial is a liability with general-election voters.
A separate NPR analysis after the 2022 midterms found that Republican secretary of state candidates who denied the 2020 results generally underperformed other GOP candidates in competitive states. Despite that trend, candidates in heavily Republican states or those seeking Trump’s endorsement in crowded primaries have continued to embrace the position.
Brendan Fischer, who leads research into election-undermining efforts at the Campaign Legal Center, described what he called a powerful “election denial infrastructure” that has developed since 2020 and has proven effective at pushing candidates toward contested claims about voting. Fischer characterized the movement as “a tiny, tiny minority of the country” but said it remains “an energized and active force within Republican politics” that candidates feel compelled to address.
The 2026 midterm elections are also taking place amid broader national debates over election-related federal policy, including recent executive actions from the Trump administration targeting voting procedures — actions that legal experts have said face significant constitutional questions.
What’s Next
Primary contests across these 23 states will determine which election-denying candidates advance to general election ballots. The outcomes in swing states like Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan will be closely watched given those states’ recent histories of post-election disputes.
States United Action says its goal is to ensure voters have accurate information about candidate positions before those races are decided. How voters weigh those positions — particularly in competitive states where the 3-point penalty for election denial has previously been documented — will shape the composition of the officials overseeing the 2028 presidential election cycle.