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Lara Trump insists ‘there will be no problem’ if Trump ‘does not legally and legitimately win this election’

Former president and his allies have insisted they would accept ‘legal’ election results while promoting false claims of election fraud in 2020

Ariana Baio
Thursday 08 August 2024 17:55 BST
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Lara Trump, co-chair of the RNC, said her father-in-law, Donald Trump, would accept election results if they were ‘legitimate’
Lara Trump, co-chair of the RNC, said her father-in-law, Donald Trump, would accept election results if they were ‘legitimate’ (AP)

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Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of Donald Trump and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, insisted that she is committed to election integrity and if her father-in-law doesn’t “legitimately win” come November, there “will be no problem”.

On Wednesday evening, Lara attempted to diminish concerns that the former president won’t accept election results if he loses the 2024 presidential election – similar to how he did after the 2020 election.

“My job at the RNC and our number one focus has been election integrity,” Lara told Chris Cuomo on NewsNation. “I can assure you if he does not legally and legitimately win this election there will be no problem.”

Republican leaders, including Lara, have made a push for “election integrity” in the upcoming election despite there being no historical evidence of widespread voter fraud. As part of that, they continue to promote the former president’s false claims that he lost the 2020 election due to fraudulent votes.

It is a strategy that plays both sides of the coin; encouraging free and fair elections – the bedrock of U.S. democracy – while also planting fears that the election could be dishonest.

Lara Trump, the RNC co-chair, assured people that there ‘will be no problem’ if Trump does not ‘legally and legitimately’ win in November
Lara Trump, the RNC co-chair, assured people that there ‘will be no problem’ if Trump does not ‘legally and legitimately’ win in November (AFP via Getty Images)

“You can argue whatever you want about the 2020 election, but there is no doubt that half the country, maybe more, feels like there was something off in that election,” Lara told Cuomo.

Polling from The Center For Election Innovation & Research found that 57 percent of people overall believed the 2020 election was run and administered well. However, Republicans were far less confident with only 32 percent believing it went well.

Other credible surveys from Gallup and the Associated Press concluded similar findings – a majority of Americans believe President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.

Multiple investigations at local, state and federal levels found no indication of mass voter fraud, let alone enough to swing the election in Biden’s favor.

But Trump continued to claim the 2020 election was rigged and his false assertion that votes were not fairly counted inflamed supporters enough that they stormed the Capitol on January 6 while Congress was certifying the election results.

Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’ from him inflamed supporters at the Capitol on January 6, 2021
Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’ from him inflamed supporters at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 (REUTERS)

The former president is currently involved in a lawsuit, brought by the U.S. government, for his false claims and alleged attempts to overturn election results.

“We believe, if every legal vote is counted, come November 5th Donald Trump will be president,” Lara told Cuomo.

The former president has also said he would accept the election results if they were “fair and legal.”

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