Ed Satalia

State College

The States United Democracy Center has identified 201 state legislators in battleground states who denied the validity of the 2020 presidential election. Of the seven states studied, Pennsylvania has the most election deniers: 64 in the House of Representatives and 22 in the State Senate (to say nothing of the seven election deniers who represent Pennsylvanians at the federal level, including our own Congressman Glenn Thompson).

The study reports that Pennsylvania’s election deniers “…make up more than 80% of the Senate Republican caucus and hold a majority of seats on several of the most important committees that handle election matters.”

Three lawmakers with Clinton County constituencies were named in the report: Representatives Stephanie Borowicz, Kerry Benninghoff and Senator Cris Dush. The complete list of election denying legislators is here: statesuniteddemocracy.org/resources/states-of-denial/#pennsylvania

“Because U.S. elections are administered at the state and local level, state legislators have broad power to shape election administration and voting procedures,” the report says. “Election Deniers in the state legislature, especially in leadership or on powerful committees, can push for barriers to voting, seek to hamper election administration and erode trust in elections and the officials who keep them free, fair and secure.”

The 2020 presidential election was fair. More than 60 court challenges affirmed that. The bedrock of democracy is the public’s faith in the integrity of elections. It is worrisome that so many of our state legislators have taken unwarranted actions to undermine that faith and remain in positions to do it again.