The Portland Press Herald has debunked Paul LePage’s Tuesday night debate claim that he has “never rejected any election.”
“In reality,” the Press Herald reported, “LePage has a long and well-documented history of casting evidence-free aspersions on Maine election results.”
The story highlights that LePage has questioned the integrity of Maine’s – and America’s – elections in 2009, 2016, 2018, and 2020, all “without any facts to support his allegations.”
According to University of Maine political scientist Robert Glover, “the dangers of such election denial really can’t be overstated.”
While LePage has more recently tried to publicly distance himself from claims of voter fraud, in private he has continued to sow doubt about Maine’s elections. According to the Press Herald article,
“LePage has continued his aspersions on the campaign trail this year, falsely telling supporters that Massachusetts residents were bused into Waterville when he was mayor to back a 2009 referendum approving same-sex marriage. On Aug. 8 he told an audience that he had “great confidence in small towns” running a fair election “because usually the clerks know everybody.”
“I have less confidence when you get to Bangor, Rockland, Lewiston, Portland, South Portland,” he added. “Those are areas you got to be a little bit more careful.”