Try and Stop Us Digest — August 19, 2026

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Election Deniers Are Winning Primaries Across The Country

Republicans just nominated three more election deniers for office.. Democracy Docket: Sen. Ashley Moody joined a “batshit insane” legal effort to throw out electoral votes in 2020. Rep. Byron Donalds refused to commit to certifying the 2024 election if Trump lost, saying his answer was “always conditional" — and accused pro-voting groups of of wanting “weakness in the controls of our elections, so it helps them find votes to win." Wyoming's Chuck Gray sponsored screenings of 2000 Mules and dismissed a formal ethics complaint against himself as "Trump Derangement Syndrome."

Five battleground states just nominated election conspiracy theorist GOP governor candidates who'd control who certifies the next presidential election. CNN: Arizona's Andy Biggs pressured the state House speaker to decertify Biden's win. Pennsylvania's Stacy Garrity still won't give a straight answer: "We know there were irregularities... But I'd rather look forward" — the same Garrity who nodded along in 2022 as Trump called the election "rigged" and "a disgrace," then ran for governor on his endorsement.

Trump's Newest "Stolen Election" Claim Falls Apart Again

Trump says Census data found 24,000 illegal votes in 2020. Biden won by more than 7 million. Washington Post: Even taking Trump's number at face value, it's less than two-hundredths of a percent of the vote — and the per-state totals (1,100 in Arizona, 400 in Georgia, 500 in Wisconsin) are a fraction of his actual losing margins in each. DOJ, meanwhile, is now 0-23 trying to prove any of this in court.

Cities Sue Trump Administration For Holding Anti-Terrorism Funding Hostage Over Election Demands

Nashville, Columbus, and two Texas counties say FEMA is illegally withholding money meant to stop terrorist attacks unless they rewrite their election rules. USA Today: "Holding cities hostage by threatening anti-terrorism funding if they don't go along with the president's absurd election manipulation is as dangerous as it is illegal," said Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein. FEMA claims the mandates "preserve election integrity."

Senator Slotkin Wants The Pentagon On The Record: No Troops At The Polls

Sen. Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Hegseth directly to confirm the military won't be sent to seize ballots or intimidate voters in November. Talking Points Memo: "He's very clearly laying the breadcrumbs to be able to say the day after the election that he didn't really lose the House or he didn't really lose the Senate," Slotkin said. Hegseth has so far only offered a dodge: "I've never been ordered to do anything illegal, and I won't."

In The States

ALASKA — DOJ is investigating whether a Senate candidate can be criminally prosecuted for running with "impure motives" — a theory legal experts warn could criminalize ordinary political strategy. NBC News / Election Law Blog: A grand jury is probing whether Dan J. Sullivan — not an impersonator, just a real Alaskan who happens to share the incumbent senator's name — entered the race to confuse voters. Election law scholar Rick Hasen called the theory a serious First Amendment problem: "It would be quite dangerous for the state to start criminally prosecuting people for their political beliefs and secret motives. Are we going to put people on trial and probe their political allegiances?"

MINNESOTA — A conservative influencer dressed in a niqab to test the state's voter-vouching law — and used a real Minneapolis voter's name without his consent. KMSP: "It was a bit of a shock the first time I saw it," said William Pomeranz, the voter whose name was used, calling it a misrepresentation of him and the state's voting system. Secretary of State Steve Simon called the stunt "outrageous and totally unacceptable."

NORTH CAROLINA — The state auditor held a secret two-hour meeting with election-denial activists tied to Cleta Mitchell's national network — then told them not to talk to the press about it. NBC: "I don't want to read about this meeting in the paper," Auditor Dave Boliek reportedly told the group. One attendee, who has claimed "tens of thousands" of ineligible voters are on the rolls, called the meeting "productive and encouraging."

PENNSYLVANIA — A watchdog group says conservative activist Scott Presler broke state campaign finance law by not disclosing his spending against three state Supreme Court justices. Spotlight PA: "Presler has every right to conduct such political activities, but lawmakers and voters also have every right to know who is paying how much to influence their political choices," said Public Citizen's Craig Holman.

What Experts Are Saying

Marc Elias says DOJ's 1,000-monitor deployment isn't about security — it's a smokescreen. "In reality, this is nothing but a smokescreen to justify the widespread deployment of federal agents at polling places... these monitors will not be judged on honest reports of what is happening at the polls. Rather, they will be expected to generate information that can be weaponized against voters and election officials, so that results can be cast in doubt and certifications challenged." — Marc Elias, Democracy Docket

Headlines

Trump's Attacks on Voting

Bloomberg: Trump Cites India’s Elections to Push for US Voting Overhaul

Democracy Docket: Appeals court rules Nevada's top federal prosecutor was unlawfully appointed

Courts

Democracy Docket: Age restrictions on mail voting are unconstitutional, Fourth Circuit says in rare 26th Amendment case