Rand Paul Mocked for Claiming Democrats Steal Elections … Using Completely Legal Methods
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) accused Democrats of attempting to “steal” elections by using entirely legal methods, prompting him to get swiftly mocked by pundits on Twitter.
Paul claimed that Democrats are stealing elections by encouraging people to vote for them, which pretty much sounds exactly like how democracy works.
The senator shared an article from the Washington Examiner, which noted that Democrats won Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election despite losing it to former President Donald Trump in 2016.
How to steal an election: “Seeding an area heavy with potential Democratic votes with as many absentee ballots as possible, targeting and convincing potential voters to complete them in a legally valid way, and then harvesting and counting the results.”https://t.co/LwE3MdeWeG
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 27, 2021
“How to steal an election,” Paul’s tweet read, going on to quote the article:
“Seeding an area heavy with potential Democratic votes with as many absentee ballots as possible, targeting and convincing potential voters to complete them in a legally valid way, and then harvesting and counting the results.”
Despite Paul’s claim of theft, his complaint was largely criticized on Twitter, CNN’s John Harwood noting, “Convincing potential voters to cast legal ballots is the how you win elections in a democracy.”
The crime is a Republican lost. That’s not supposed to happen. Ever.
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) December 28, 2021
convincing potential voters to cast legal ballots is the how you win elections in a democracy https://t.co/EYP24IvLOR
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) December 27, 2021
This is what we call— wait for it— voting. https://t.co/0YATlm3FCG
— Anthony Michael Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) December 27, 2021
I think this is called democracy. https://t.co/5pJY2jeQWs
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) December 27, 2021
This is, I guess, at least honest about the fact that they think the wrong people voting is what counts as stealing an election. https://t.co/yIKod2aj4d
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) December 27, 2021
This sounds like a bit, but it’s quite the window into the conservative mind to say that ‘convincing’ people to legally complete a ballot & increasing turnout is election theft. https://t.co/D82VmcA0iL
— Taniel (@Taniel) December 28, 2021
Among normal people this is known as “voting.” https://t.co/SrpfxECMwN
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) December 28, 2021
How to rob a grocery store: Pick out the items you desire, bring them to a clerk in the front, and pay the listed price for them. https://t.co/sqVpMPVfVm
— Seth Masket (@smotus) December 27, 2021
Saying the quiet part extremely loud, over a bullhorn. https://t.co/lveMtwEhhx
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 28, 2021
I read this several times trying to determine some hidden meaning or subtext but am now forced to conclude Rand is scandalized by the concept of electoral democracy https://t.co/EQN9WaPMkQ
— Felipe De La Hoz (@FelipeDLH) December 27, 2021
How is “convincing potential voters to complete ballots in a legally valid way” and then counting the results “stealing an election”? This is literally what political parties are supposed to do. https://t.co/mhmu56s9ru
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) December 27, 2021
What Rand Paul is expressing here is the fundamental conservative belief that people in cities intrinsically don’t have the right to have a voice, and that if Democrats win, it’s inherently a flawed result. https://t.co/CauItEc6uc
— 🕷Dante Atkins🕷 (@DanteAtkins) December 28, 2021
Republicans outright hate democracy. Just can’t stand the thought of people voting. https://t.co/6WmJdoMHzm
— Hugh Howey (@hughhowey) December 28, 2021
This is literally how elections have been legally conducted in America for half a century….. Sooooo campaigning is “Stealing” when a Republican loses ? https://t.co/bNb7jywiJ5
— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) December 28, 2021
The GOP is now admitting that if more people have the power to vote legally, the GOP doesn’t stand a chance. They think it’s stealing an election when YOU have the right to vote. It’s why they are making it harder in many states to vote. That’s truly stealing elections from you. https://t.co/5cfDKBtqZL
— Russell Foster for Texas (@RussellFosterTX) December 28, 2021
So the way to steal an election is to get more of your people to vote. Noted. https://t.co/HN9Iob1uK5
— Christian Schneider (@Schneider_CM) December 28, 2021
I will support everyone not you for the rest of my days.
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) December 28, 2021
