The fight over the 2020 election never truly ended in the American South. And ahead of the 2026 midterms, several Republican candidates questioning the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s win and championing stricter voting laws are seeking offices that could shape how future elections are conducted across the South.
According to research by States United Action, there are over 130 2020 election deniers running for office this year. A closer analysis by Democracy Docket identified several candidates strictly running on voting reform.
The races aren’t as dramatic as your typical presidential election, but voting-rights advocates, election officials and political strategists say the consequences of the midterms could extend far beyond state borders.
“In many cases, we’re seeing new candidates embrace election denial and advance through competitive races,” Kelly Reader, research director at States United Action, told Democracy Docket. “This year’s elections really matter because the candidates who win will play a key role in how elections are run and how [President Donald] Trump’s power is checked.”
The stakes are particularly high in the South, where the majority of Black Americans live. We’ve kept you up to speed with ongoing redistricting efforts following a Supreme Court ruling threatening the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
In Georgia, where Trump directly challenged election results, Republican state Rep. Tim Fleming is running for secretary of state, the position responsible for overseeing elections, maintaining voter rolls and certifying results.
Georgia once again finds itself at the center of the nation’s election battles, as Fleming becomes one of the most prominent voices on election policy. Last year, he backed legislation to pull Georgia out of the Electronic Registration Information Center, a multi-state voter-registration consortium, while also ending absentee-ballot drop-off during the final weekend before Election Day.
Meanwhile, businessman Rick Jackson is pursuing the governor’s mansion on promises of strengthening election security and increasing oversight. But of course, Georgia isn’t the only hotspot for Republicans seeking office this term.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for Senate after years spent at the forefront of election-related litigation. Paxton gained national attention when he backed efforts challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election in multiple battleground states.
Another Texan, state Sen. Mayes Middleton, is running for Paxton’s attorney general seat. The office has become one of the nation’s most powerful legal platforms for influencing election law, frequently filing lawsuits over voting rules, ballot access and federal election policies.
Farther east, in North Carolina, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is running for Senate in a state where razor-thin margins have become the norm and election rules are often the subject of legal and political battles.
In states like Alabama, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, one of the lawmakers who objected to the certification of Electoral College votes following the 2020 election, is running for governor.
South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette has similarly made election security a centerpiece of her campaign for governor, backing proof-of-citizenship requirements and expanded voter-verification measures.
For those in Tennessee, eyes are on Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a candidate for governor. The Republican has built a national reputation as one of the party’s fiercest advocates for voter-identification laws.
To supporters, the candidates represent a continuing effort to restore confidence in an electoral system they believe many Americans no longer trust. They argue that tighter voting requirements, stronger verification standards and enhanced oversight are common-sense measures designed to protect democracy.
On the other hand, these campaigns represent something different: just how deep President Trump’s hold on the Republican Party has grown on claims of election fraud. Voting-rights organizations warn that officials elected on promises of sweeping election changes could reshape who votes, how ballots are counted and how results are certified.
In a nation still arguing about how elections should be run, this may prove to be one of the most important races of all.
