People who study democracies around the world will be watching the 2022 midterm elections for new signs of how vulnerable the U.S. system has become.
Why it matters: Even if the true test doesn’t come until the 2024 presidential election, the year ahead could set the stage and weaken American democracy in a more lasting way….
Details: In the U.S., among primary challenges drawing the most attention has been the race targeting Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state who stood up to pressure from Trump.
If Raffensperger loses to his primary challenger, Rep. Jody Hice, it would be a “very dangerous sign for democracy,” said election law expert Rick Hasen of the University of California, Irvine. Raffensperger resisted Trump’s pressure, and Hice has embraced the stolen-election myths.
Kait Branson, a spokesperson for the Hice campaign, responded: “We aren’t concerned with the opinion of a California professor. We are going to stay focused on our race and renewing integrity in Georgia’s elections.”
Also on the watch list: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the former House GOP leader who was ousted for refusing to go along with Trump’s election fraud claims.
Attacks on the election system “could become a self-fulfilling prophecy” if they drive experienced people out of the field, said Brendan Nyhan, co-founder of Bright Line Watch, a group that monitors the status of American democracy.