Top congressional Democrats, once vocal critics of election denial, are now raising doubts about certifying the 2024 results if Donald Trump wins, sparking accusations of hypocrisy and fueling fears of deeper political polarization.
As the 2024 election approaches, a new group of election deniers appears to be emerging, this time from top congressional Democrats. In a striking shift, several leading Democrats have signaled they may not commit to certifying the results if former President Donald Trump wins.
Among the prominent voices, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member and former January 6 committee member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) expressed uncertainty. In an interview with *Axios*, Raskin stated that he couldn’t be sure if he would certify a Trump victory. He went on to cast doubt on the integrity of a potential Trump win, saying, "If Trump won a free, fair, and honest election, then we would obviously accept it. I definitely don’t assume that." Raskin’s stance is notable given his vocal opposition to Republicans' objections to the 2020 election results.
However, Raskin himself objected to Trump’s electors in 2017, denying the legitimacy of Trump’s 2016 victory. In fact, a video surfaced in September showing Raskin on a February 2024 panel speculating that Congress might invalidate a Trump win, even at the risk of "civil war." While it’s unclear if he was serious or engaging in a hypothetical, the remarks have drawn attention to the evolving position of Democrats regarding election certification.
Raskin is not alone. House Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA) also voiced skepticism about certifying a Trump victory, saying Democrats would need to see how the election unfolds before making a decision. McGovern had objected to Trump’s electors in 2017, adding to concerns about hypocrisy in the ranks of those who once labeled Republicans as election deniers.
Similarly, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who had objected to George W. Bush’s electoral win in 2005, expressed doubt about Trump’s intentions in 2024, suggesting that Democrats would need to ensure all election rules were followed before certifying any result.
Vice President Kamala Harris, known for criticizing Republicans who questioned President Biden’s 2020 victory, has yet to comment on whether she would support certifying a Trump win in 2024. Her silence comes amid growing criticism that Democrats have increasingly mirrored the actions they once condemned, contesting elections and casting doubt on the integrity of Republican victories.
Democrats have a long history of challenging Republican election wins, with notable figures such as Hillary Clinton, Barbara Lee, and Maxine Waters consistently questioning GOP victories over the past two decades. In fact, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has noted that every Democratic president since 1977 has at some point cast doubt on the legitimacy of U.S. elections.
Most recently, Democrats rallied behind Stacey Abrams after her failed 2018 gubernatorial bid in Georgia, with many, including Hillary Clinton and Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, alleging that Abrams’ election was "stolen."
The growing reluctance among Democrats to certify a potential Trump victory in 2024 suggests that the political landscape could be set for further polarization, with both sides increasingly viewing electoral results through a lens of suspicion. The question remains whether this new wave of election denialism will further erode trust in the democratic process.
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