Trump Says Election Was “Total Scam” But Still Urges Republicans to Vote in Georgia Runoffs

President Donald Trump claimed the 2020 election was a “total scam” but still urged Republicans to vote in Georgia’s Senate runoffs, which are scheduled for January. If either of the incumbents––Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue––get enough votes, Republicans will maintain their majority in the Senate.

“No, the 2020 Election was a total scam, we won by a lot (and will hopefully turn over the fraudulent result), but we must get out and help David and Kelly, two GREAT people. Otherwise we are playing right into the hands of some very sick people,” the president wrote. “I will be in Georgia on Saturday.”

Trump’s claim that the election was fraudulent was immediately flagged by Twitter under its civic integrity policy, which forbids individuals from disseminating disinformation about elections on its platform.

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

Trump’s post was in response to an article from conservative news website Newsmax, which cited a report from Politico about Georgia Trump supporters who are considering boycotting the runoffs altogether.

“Driven by Trump’s insistence that Georgia’s elections are indelibly rife with fraud, conspiratorial MAGA figures are calling for a boycott of the two Senate runoff races, slated for Jan. 5, that will determine which party controls the upper chamber,” Politco reported.

Posts on Parler, a social media site frequented by Trump supporters, conspiracy theorists, and other members of the far right,. have claimed that Loeffler and Purdue are complicit in election fraud and should not remain in the Senate. The hashtags #CrookedKelly and #CrookedPurdue are also being shared widely.

Alan Herrera

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.