I’m an elected Republican warning you about ‘Big Lie’
As a lifelong Republican, I’m worried that my party of small government and balanced budgets is being overtaken by conspiracy enablers whose primary purpose is to promote the “Big Lie” about the 2020 election.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Strong political parties are what make our republic work. Ideas, policies and direction filter up from the left and the right, colliding in the halls of democracy across the country, and culminating as the law of the land. Without two strong parties, one party dominates and half the population feels unheard and unrepresented. The long-term health of a republic requires a balance.
Internal party politics always pull to the fringes. As history has shown, humankind finds comfort in their small tribes. But peace and prosperity demand big tents.
Our best leaders – whether Republican or Democrat – promote a vision and a set of policies that can appeal to most Americans, not just rabid party loyalists. Parties that lead with all citizens in mind can win independents, win elections and get things done.
I am a Republican. I always have been.
My formative teenage political years came during the Reagan presidency. My demographic of male, 45-55 in age, will show on any political science chart to be one of the most conservative groups on the spectrum due to Reagan’s influence.
I’m for small government, balanced budgets and efficient processes.
These beliefs used to define conservatism. Now, only one thing matters to many Republicans: adherence to any and all theories that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
As a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, I helped oversee and then certify results for three major elections in 2020. I saw the detailed planning done by our elections team, saw them expertly pivot to make sure people could vote when and how they wanted during a pandemic, and asked tough questions in my oversight role once the results had come in and the protests had begun.
I can say with confidence the election was safe, secure and fair. There was no foul play. There was no vote switching. The November election was one of the best we’ve ever run.
For certifying and then defending the results of the 2020 general election, I’ve been sued, subpoenaed and chastised, primarily by Republicans. For embracing reality, I’ve had my conservative credentials questioned and even my integrity challenged.
I take comfort in knowing that I am doing the moral thing by telling the truth to my constituents. I also happen to believe telling the truth about the 2020 election is good politically.
If Republicans become the party of the “Big Lie” – if we encourage this madness much longer – we will lose credibility with the majority of Americans on issues where I believe we have better ideas. We will do lasting damage to our republic.
True Republicans would never dream of wasting taxpayer money to hire an unknown cybersecurity firm with no elections auditing experience to audit an election that has already been audited. This is what the Arizona Senate is doing with their Cyber Ninja audit.
This is what the Arizona Senate is doing with their Cyber Ninja audit.
True Republicans would instead support what the Board of Supervisors did to address constituent questions following the November election:
● First, follow Arizona law and conduct all required tests, including hand counts, to ensure reported results were accurate.
● Second, get answers to credible questions from elections experts in a transparent public hearing.
● Third, hire certified, experienced audit firms to test the equipment to make sure it wasn’t hacked or didn’t malfunction in any way that would affect votes.
We need more Republicans to return to dealing in truth and reality. We have been elected to lead, not to appease conspiracy theorists.
We have been elected to restore faith in democracy, not sow endless seeds of doubt imperiling it.
To save our party, and to save our republic, we need to stop the Big Lie.