As the November 2026 general election approaches, a notable number of Republican candidates who have questioned or denied the legitimacy of the 2020 US presidential election are vying for significant statewide offices across the country. These candidates are running for governor and secretary of state positions in several swing states, roles that hold considerable influence over election certification processes.
Governors are responsible for signing off on state election results and issuing certificates to presidential electors. Secretaries of state typically serve as chief election officials, overseeing voting systems and advising local jurisdictions, and also play a role in certifying results. The presence of candidates who have expressed doubts about past election outcomes in these roles raises concerns about the 2028 election cycle, particularly regarding potential pressure to refuse certification or impede results.
In Arizona, gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, a US representative, voted against certifying his own state’s 2020 election results and those of Pennsylvania on January 6, 2021. Biggs has not directly acknowledged President Biden’s 2020 victory and has made unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. The Arizona senate audit he called for ultimately affirmed Biden’s win. Alex Kolodin, a state representative and attorney running for secretary of state in Arizona, served as legal counsel in lawsuits attempting to overturn the 2020 results and represented some of the state’s fake electors. Kolodin was disciplined by the state bar of Arizona, receiving probation and a requirement to take ethics courses.
Georgia’s gubernatorial candidate, Rick Jackson, a healthcare executive, criticized current Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for not yielding to pressure to question the 2020 results. Jackson won a primary runoff against Burt Jones, who was one of Georgia’s fake electors. Jackson’s campaign has stated he acknowledges Biden’s win but believes there were issues in the 2020 election that needed resolution.
In Michigan, gubernatorial candidate John James, a US House representative, initially refused to concede his 2020 US Senate loss and questioned the election results. While running for governor, James has claimed the 2020 election was rigged and that President Trump won Michigan three times, despite losing the state. However, in 2022, James stated that Biden was duly elected. He faces Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in November, whom he has accused of rigging the 2020 election.
Nevada’s secretary of state candidate, Jim Marchant, a state lawmaker, lost his 2022 bid for the same office and is running again this November. He was part of a coalition of Republican secretary of state candidates in swing states who supported claims of a stolen 2020 election. Marchant also lost a 2020 US House race and unsuccessfully sued to redo the election. He supported the fake elector scheme in 2020 and has expressed belief in conspiracy theories about manipulated voting machines and judges being compromised.
Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial candidate, Stacy Garrity, the state treasurer, spoke at a rally on January 5, 2021, calling for the decertification of the 2020 presidential election results, though her campaign later stated she focused on a state senate race. She appeared with President Trump in 2022, asserting that Trump won in 2020. Garrity, who won her own state treasurer race in 2020, has acknowledged that Joe Biden was elected president, while also noting perceived irregularities in the 2020 election.
Wisconsin’s gubernatorial candidate, Tom Tiffany, a US representative, voted against accepting the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania in 2021. He has stated he would have objected to Wisconsin’s results if given the opportunity and has claimed, without evidence, that illegal votes were cast. As recently as May 2026, Tiffany reportedly would not confirm if Biden won Wisconsin fairly in 2020. However, he has since stated that Biden won in 2020 and committed to certifying the vote in 2028.
