In response to Trump VP contender Tom Cotton refusing to rule out attempting to overturn the results of November’s election, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement: 

“Tom Cotton may be the latest of Donald Trump’s VP contenders to threaten our democracy by refusing to commit to accepting November’s election results – but he won’t be the last. Trump has made his dangerous election denialism a litmus test to be his running mate and his MAGA minions are now desperately lining up to spew baseless lies and attack our democracy.”

NEW: Tom Cotton refused to rule out attempting to overturn the results of November’s election.

Question: “Are you going to promise to not attempt to overturn the results of the ‘24 election when it comes?”

Cotton: “Well, obviously, we should accept the results of the election as long as all of the elections are free and fair, and that’s based on at least 50 different states if not more. What I won’t do… is renounce in advance the ability to challenge any kind of fraud or unfairness in the elections.”

REMINDER: Trump has made clear he wants an extreme election denier as a running mate, and his VP contenders are parroting his baseless lies about the 2020 election and refusing to commit to accepting this November’s election results.

Interviewer: “What will you do differently this time around when you’re vetting your VP?”

Trump: “Mike [Pence] did a good job until the end when he didn’t have the courage to do what you have to do. … if he did that, I believe you would have had different election results.”

NBC News: “None of these potential vice presidential picks have committed to accepting the 2024 election results, whether Trump wins or loses.” 

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.”

MSNBC: “Potential GOP running mates hedge on accepting election results”

“Trump, obviously, is refusing to commit to honoring the election results — the same posture he adopted four years ago — but so are those hoping to be his running mate.”

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

New York Magazine: “Is 2024 Election Denialism a Trump VP Litmus Test?”

Axios: “Trump and his allies will want a VP pick that is more willing to comply with the former president’s wishes, which former Vice President Pence rejected by certifying the 2020 results.”

CNN: “As Trump continues to focus on his false claims over election integrity, many of his potential deputies expressed their own concerns.”