Erick Erickson tries to talk fellow conservatives down from Trump's election 'fraud' fantasies

(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

President Trump and his allies are filing a torrent of legal challenges in a handful of states that President-elect Joe Biden appears to have won, likely by margins that would survive a recount, seeking to find "fraud" or "irregularities" that could convince state or federal judges to disqualify large enough numbers of ballots to swing the election to Trump. They have had no success so far, mostly due to their inability to provide evidence of fraud that holds up in court.

For example, dead people did not elect Biden in Michigan, ballots Trump's team challenged in Nevada turned out to have largely been cast legally by military service members stationed out of state, and Pennsylvania election officials did find at least one case of voter fraud, a Republican man who allegedly illegally cast a ballot for his late mother. CNN's John Avlon fact-checked some other GOP claims Tuesday morning.

But a Politico/Morning Consult poll Monday found that Trump's baseless allegations have had an effect: 70 percent of Republicans say they don't believe the 2020 election was free and fair, versus 35 percent of GOP voters who held similar beliefs before the election. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson tried to pop the bubble Monday, explaining why his fellow conservatives are flogging a dead horse on vote fraud.

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Erickson ran through the terrible math for Trump in Michigan, then pointed out that Trump would have to overcome near-impossible obstacles in several different states. Besides, "it is not enough to show voter fraud," he added. "The standard is voter fraud to an extent that casts doubt on the election," and that "is very tough."

It isn't clear what Trump's end game is here, but it's pretty obvious he isn't finally, after years of allegations, going to be able to blame fake voters for his loss.

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.