Opinion: How will GOP leadership react when Trump declares the 2026 elections to be riddled with fraud?

“It now appears there actually was meaningful voter fraud in Fulton County, Georgia, last November. That is not a conspiracy theory. It’s true.” -Tucker Carlson, 7-14-21 (Fox News, “Tucker Carlson Tonight”) 

No, Tucker, that was not true (https://politifact.com/factchecks/2021/jul/20/tucker-carlson/tucker-carlson-spins-web-misleading-claims-he-alle/?utm_source=chatgpt.com ). It clearly was and still is a conspiracy theory with no factual basis. 

But there was and… still is… a steady drumbeat from talking heads like Tucker Carlson, saying the 2020 election was stolen (https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2021/tucker-carlson-spins-a-web-of-misleading-claims-as-he-alleges-meaningful-voter-fraud-in-georgia/ ). V iewers heard that false assertion so much they believed him back then…and still do. They went along despite distinguished conservative GOP stalwarts issuing a comprehensive state-by-state report skewering the “big lie” ( https://www.newsweek.com/republican-judges-lawyers-conclude-2020-election-was-lost-not-stolen-1724826 ). 

Trump and his supporters will make similar remarks after they lose Georgia and other states this year. And his brainwashed supporters will 100% believe him because they only- a. watch biased news channels Fox, OAN and Newsmax, b. go to social media sites that reinforce their MAGA cult misperceptions and c. associate with people who have similar conspiratorial views. 

Some people, otherwise good folks, are brainwashed and just don’t realize it. That is especially true in today’s climate of political alienation and mistrust. But it’s also just an unfortunate part of human nature. And that is exactly why we had a Trump promoted attempt by his MAGA cult to overthrow our government.

On January 6, 2021, six months before Carlson made his statement, a white supremacist mob invaded our Capital. They were incited by a sore-loser President, bent on overthrowing our government to retain power, who repeatedly told them to “fight.” Their goal was to change the results of a fair and honest election. It was a violent revolt against democracy and our way of life, domestic terrorism.

In an invasion of our seat of government, the first domestic action of its kind since 1776, these rioters stopped the peaceful counting of the state’s Electoral College votes by Congress. They trashed national artifacts, defecated on the floors and stole personal property of members of Congress. They proudly filmed themselves doing these deeds, falsely claiming that they were patriots.

These terrorists overwhelmed a vastly outnumbered and unprepared police force. Members of the group were armed with various weapons. They savagely beat officers merely trying to protect our Capitol, cursing them for simply doing their job.

We all witnessed the violence, including the injuring of 140 law enforcement officers. However, we were told by Georgia Rep. Andy Clyde that these rioters were just like a “normal tourist visit” ( https://www.cbsnews.com/news/capitol-riot-january-6-hearing-lawmakers-clash/ )…even though he was filmed barricading a door. 

Some MAGA supporting law enforcement people also excused the attempt to overthrow a free and fair election (and subvert democracy). Per John Catanzara, President of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police, the insurrection was- “(Not) very different than what happened all across this country all summer long in Democratic-ran cities, and nobody had a problem with that.” I suppose that is why Trump felt he could just pardon these law breakers.

I’m from a law enforcement family. My favorite uncle ran an NYC precinct. My closest cousins (Italian Americans, like my uncle) worked for the FBI and the Florida Corrections Department. That’s why I’m ashamed of people like Catanzara.

The 1-6-21 House Committee hearings identified many conservative GOP patriots who were willing to stand up for the Constitution. But what about the rest of them who were involved and to this day refuse to testify under oath? People like Rudy Giuliani.

And where is our modern-day Senator Barry Goldwater? Goldwater was the very conservative GOP leader who brought his party leadership together to acknowledge the illegal acts that Nixon had perpetrated. He then went to President Nixon and told Nixon that he would be removed if he did not resign.  

Instead, cowardly Senate Majority Leader McConnell did the opposite, opposing removal due to fear of Trump’s primary influence. Thus, McConnel ensured that Trump could run for office in 2024. And because McConnell caved in, other GOP leaders also did. Then House Minority Leader McCarthy made sure that conservative Rep. Liz Chaney was removed from party leadership for even daring to join the House 1-6-21 committee. She is still a party outcaste due to MAGA influence.

Given the cowardly leadership of today’s GOP, we can expect them to just go along when Trump declares that there was fraud in the 2026 election. Our democracy has been rated poorly by impartial sources and downgraded to a “flawed democracy” ( https://www.eiu.com/n/global-themes/democracy-index-2025-hub/ ). It is no surprise.

Note: This is an opinion article as designated by the the category placement on this website. It is not news coverage. If this disclaimer is funny to you, it isn’t aimed at you — but some of your friends and neighbors honestly have trouble telling the difference.