Washington (United States) (AFP) - After months of warning about election fraud, the voices of conspiracy theorists among supporters of US President Donald Trump have faded in the face of the overwhelming Democratic victory in the midterm elections.

Published on: 06/11/2026 - 12:53

Political analysts were expecting a wave of judicial appeals filed by those skeptical of the integrity of the elections to object to the results of Tuesday’s vote, or attempts by Trump himself to tilt the result in his favor, as he did when he lost to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential elections.

But none of that happened.

Unsubstantiated allegations of fraud receded after the Democrats achieved what observers described as a “blue tsunami,” giving the party control of both chambers of Congress.

Trump's acceptance of the results, indicating that he would not challenge his Republican Party's widespread defeat, was a signal to many of his loyalists to follow his example.

“Election Day in 2026 saw some rumors about the integrity of the vote,” said the Informed Public Center at the University of Washington. “But election skepticism was not the primary narrative used to explain the Democrats’ sweeping victories.”

He added, "In the absence of a political elite that calls into question the elections, rumors about their integrity have not crystallized into a coherent or meaningful narrative to explain the results."

"Win margin"

Many analysts said that the size of the Democrats' victory, which was considered a rejection of Trump's political agenda, may have played a role in this.

But David Pecker, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research, noted that allegations of fraud had persisted in the past even when candidates favored by the president lost by wide margins.

"I'm not sure the margin of victory makes much of a difference to those who have long made money off of conspiracy theories about elections," Baker said.

He added, "Perhaps the general political landscape in the country has changed to some extent, which has changed the incentives that motivate these people."

The position of election skeptics was also weakened by the fact that many of them lost the races they ran and chose not to challenge the results.

Among them is Andy Biggs, one of the Republican politicians who joined Trump in challenging the results of the 2020 election.

After losing the race for governor of Arizona, Biggs conceded his defeat to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, without referring to electoral fraud, attributing the result instead to what he considered weak voter turnout.

He said in statements reported by American media, "We were not able to mobilize our voters to the extent we wanted."

"That's not why we lost."

Even conservative influencers appeared less motivated, including prominent supporters of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, who have long been vocal in questioning the election.

Before the midterm elections, some skeptics went so far as to call for declaring a “national emergency” and urged Trump to grant himself “kingly-like powers” ​​to control the elections, according to the left-leaning Media Matters for America organization concerned with monitoring the media.

Conservative political commentator Rogan O'Handley wrote to his 2.3 million followers on the

He added, "We lost because we failed to address the issues for which we were elected."

John Neville of Media Matters warned of "premature" hopes that "the fever of doubting the elections has completely subsided."

He said, "Rejection of the Democratic Party's victories remains a fundamental and foundational element in the movement that Trump built, and it is likely to continue as such in the foreseeable future."

But Baker expressed optimism, saying that "American voters are tired" of questioning the election without evidence.

“The number of election skeptics running this time was lower than in previous cycles, and voter acceptance of these claims appears to have declined significantly,” said Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting, a non-profit and nonpartisan organization.

She added, based on an independent poll, “Most voters are concerned with other issues, and election fraud does not appear to be a factor determining their voting choices.”

© 2026 AFP

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