In response to RNC Chair Michael Whatley hedging on whether he would accept the 2024 elections results, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement:

“Self-proclaimed ‘greatest denier in history’ Donald Trump already made election denialism a litmus test for his MAGA allies, and his handpicked RNC chair Michael Whatley passed with flying colors today when he hedged on accepting this November’s results. Trump chose Whatley to lead the RNC because of his extreme election denier track record and willingness to put Trump’s commands over our democracy. In case we needed a reminder, Whatley is making it clear that our democracy is on the ballot this election, and the American people will once again reject Trump and the MAGA GOP’s dangerous agenda.”

NEW: Michael Whatley fails to say he would unequivocally accept the results of November’s election.

Michael Whatley: “They want to try and put Republicans in a box and say that they won’t accept the election results. The fact of the matter is when we have fair elections, when we get the results that are going to be fair, accurate, secure, and transparent, then we’re going to accept those. Look, I look forward to having President Trump back in the White House.”

Donald Trump hand-picked Michael Whatley to lead the RNC because he embraces Trump’s MAGA election denialism. 

Washington Post: “Trump repeated his false claims of the 2020 election being stolen and said that Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley was the most important person in the room because he is ‘going to stop the cheating.’

“‘We call it save the vote, guard the vote, stop the steal,’ he said, referring to what the RNC needed to be doing.” […]

“He said he picked Whatley for the job because he did not lose North Carolina ‘in the middle of the night’ like he did some other states, when he alleged more ballots came in to cost him the election. Before his current position, Whatley was chair of North Carolina’s Republican Party.

“‘If you talk about it, you’re a denier,’ he said of his false claims of the 2020 election, according to the notes. ‘I’m the greatest denier in history.’”

New York Times: “Mr. Trump likes Mr. Whatley for one overwhelming reason, according to people who have discussed him with the former president: He is ‘a stop the steal guy,’ as one of the people described him. He endorses Mr. Trump’s false claims about mass voter fraud… Mr. Whatley has baselessly claimed that election security efforts from Republicans in North Carolina stopped Democrats from cheating.”

Associated Press: “In pushing Michael Whatley as the next leader of the Republican National Committee, Donald Trump zeroed in on the North Carolina GOP chairman’s dedication to ‘election integrity,’ baselessly suggesting he would ensure the 2024 race ‘can’t be stolen.’”

Trump still won’t commit to accepting the 2024 election results and continues to push his dangerous election denialism.

NBC News: “Trump again won’t commit to accepting the presidential election results”

CNN: “Former President Donald Trump refused to unconditionally accept the results of the upcoming 2024 presidential election. … It’s the latest comment by Trump in which he has sought to undermine confidence in the American electoral system in the event he loses in November.”

Washington Post: “Top Republicans, led by former president Donald Trump, are refusing to commit to accept November’s election results with six months until voters head to the polls, raising concerns that the country could see a repeat of the violent aftermath of Trump’s loss four years ago. … Trump also has suggested he may not accept the results of the next election.”

Politico: “Donald Trump suggested he may not accept the results of the 2024 election in the key swing state of Wisconsin in an interview with the state’s largest newspaper, where he also falsely claimed he won the state in 2020.”

Associated Press: “[Trump] is flooding the airwaves and his social media platform with distortions, misinformation and unfounded conspiracy theories about his defeat.”

NBC News: “Re-litigating the 2020 election, repeating false claims it was stolen and casting aspersions on the security of mail voting remain major fixtures for [Trump] on the stump. … He regularly refers to the 2020 election as ‘rigged’ on his social media channels.”

Associated Press: “Trump, running for the White House for the third time, has signaled that the 2020 election will remain an integral part of his 2024 presidential bid.”

Trump has made election denialism a litmus test for his MAGA allies.

Washington Post: “Top Republicans, led by Trump, refuse to commit to accept 2024 election results”

“The question has become something of a litmus test, particularly among the long list of possible running mates for Trump. … The GOP’s desire to appease Trump’s fixation on 2020 now appears to loom over his search for a running mate.”

New York Times: “Will You Accept the Election Results? Republicans Dodge the Question.”

“Less than six months out from the presidential contest, leading Republicans, including several of Donald J. Trump’s potential running mates, have refused to commit to accepting the results of the election, signaling that the party may again challenge the outcome if its candidate loses.”

Axios: “Republicans are increasingly joining former President Trump on hedging or dodging when asked whether they’ll accept the results of the 2024 elections.”

Washington Post: “Was the 2020 election stolen? Job interviews at RNC take an unusual turn.”

“Those seeking employment at the Republican National Committee after a Trump-backed purge of the committee this month have been asked in job interviews if they believe the 2020 election was stolen, according to people familiar with the interviews, making the false claim a litmus test of sorts for hiring…

“The questions about the 2020 election were open-ended, two people familiar with the questioning said. “But if you say the election wasn’t stolen, do you really think you’re going to get hired?” one former RNC employee asked.”