US Senator Rubio says he won't accept election results if 'unfair' ( www.reuters.com )

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, an ally of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, will not accept the results of the Nov. 5 election if they are "unfair," he said on Sunday.

"Will you accept the election results of 2024, no matter what happens, senator?" NBC News' "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker asked Rubio, a Florida Republican, in an interview.

"No matter what happens? No," Rubio answered. "If it's an unfair election, I think it's going to be contested by either side."

Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork to contest a potential loss in November, stoking doubts about the election's legitimacy even as polls show the former president leading in battleground states, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Hildegarde ,

It is not treason to question the results of an election. It is not sedition to contest an election. If there is evidence that an election not handled correctly in a way that is sufficient to change the outcome, those with a stake in the outcome should not accept it.

This idea that it is a high crime to question an election is genuinely dangerous. And it is especially bad coming from democrats, because tactics like voter suppression disproportionately benefit republicans.

No one should accept an unrepresentative election.

yamdwich ,

In principle yes, of course, but I think we all can be reasonably suspicious that Rubio is using this exact justification as a smoke screen to lay the groundwork of sowing doubt to manufacture a false "controversy" come election time. He's also being just vague enough that he can play both sides, too, depending on which option he finds most politically beneficial. I'm glad to have people scrutinize our electoral process, but not when they start from a predetermined conclusion. Which I know I'm also doing by assuming Rubio's intent, but it's not like we haven't been here before.

Coreidan ,

Cry more bitch

Apollonius_Cone ,

Sedition.

rayyy ,

It is really simple, US Senator Rubio says he won't accept election results if unfair their orange mobster guy doesn't win.

Etterra ,

unfair different than what I want.

FTFY

These assholes are acting like toddlers and should be treated as such.

grue ,

These assholes are acting like toddlers treasonous criminals and should be treated as such.

FTFY

Enkers ,

Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork to contest a potential loss

While that's probably true, Rubio kinda gave a reasonable answer to an unreasonable question. Of course there are possible circumstances that any reasonable person would not honour the results of an election.

Of all the ridiculous shit these guys say, maybe don't pick the one time they're actually in the right. Like they tell on themselves all the time, you generally don't have to twist their words.

ObviouslyNotBanana ,
@ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world avatar

Fact is that democracy depends on people believing in fairness in order for the electoral process to be fair. When it starts to be questioned is when the system starts tearing at the seams.

Enkers ,

I agree, it's best to not pull at the fraying threads of democracy, but it's not like there's never been a controversial election before. Take the 2000 Gore v. Bush election, for example.

If Reuters wants to expose the laying of groundwork, then they have to do more than baiting a fairly mundane statement out of a single R. They have to collect evidence of republicans doing it themselves. This is just lazy reporting that plays to peoples fears.

NJSpradlin ,

Sure, but that’s taking the guy’s statement at face value when you know he’s speaking in doublespeak and bad faith. He and his team are absolutely going to cry ‘unfair’ if they don’t win, like they did before.

So, the writing and the interview questions should have used this statement or answer and tied it into a broader statement about how they’re already actively attempting to disrupt the electoral process so that they can then claim ‘unfair’ and build toward a second J6 event/coup.

Hildegarde ,

Democracy relies on elections actually being fair. Questioning the process is the only way to make things fair, and the process being robust in the face of questions demonstrates it.

This idea that elections are unquestionabe is genuinely dangerous.

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