In a revealing interview at the All In Summit 2024, JD Vance was confronted with a question that has loomed over American politics for years: Would he have certified the 2020 election if he were in former Vice President Mike Pence’s shoes? The answer seemed evasive, as Vance was asked three times point blank about his stance on the matter, each time sidestepping a direct response in ways that raise more concerns than clarity.
The Three Questions and His Response
Throughout the interview, Jason Calacanis pressed Vance on whether he would have certified the election results, an inquiry pivotal to understanding his commitment to democratic principles. Vance’s response to the first instance of this question was a clear attempt to deflect: “I take issue with the premise a little bit… I think the argument was that Mike Pence could have done more… to surface some of the problems in which would certify [the] election.”
Rather than stating definitively whether or not he would have certified the results, Vance muddied the waters by focusing on the idea that Pence could have done more to draw attention to supposed irregularities, even though no substantive evidence has ever been presented to suggest widespread fraud. The courts, including those with Trump-appointed judges, consistently ruled against claims challenging the election outcome.
When asked again whether he would have certified the election, Vance offered a more direct but equally evasive answer: “I would have asked the states to submit alternative slates of electors and let the country have the debate about what actually matters.” This is an alarming position, as it mirrors the rhetoric used by individuals involved in the fake electors plot — a scheme designed to unlawfully overturn the legitimate results of the election.
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When asked a third time, Vance reiterated: “I would have asked the states to submit alternative slates,” avoiding a direct answer and continuing to raise questions about his commitment to respecting the outcome of a democratic election.
The Certified Ballots: Selective Scrutiny
Vance’s apparent willingness to entertain the idea of alternative electors is especially troubling given his silence on other results from the very same 2020 election. While he implied skepticism over the legitimacy of the presidential vote, he failed to acknowledge that the same certified ballots from states applied to all other down-ballot races, including Congressional elections. In fact, Republicans won the House of Representatives in the 2020 election by flipping 14 seats.
If the results of the 2020 presidential election were supposedly questionable, then by extension, the validity of every other race on the ballot, including these Republican gains, should also be scrutinized. Yet, neither Vance nor other Trump-aligned politicians have voiced concerns about those results. This selective outrage suggests a focus on overturning only the presidential outcome, not a genuine concern over election integrity.
To put this into perspective, 35 Senate seats and 435 House seats were up for election in 2020, alongside state and local races. Republicans not only secured major gains but won key races that contributed to their eventual control of the House. The contradiction in questioning the legitimacy of the presidential race while accepting these victories demonstrates a glaring inconsistency in the argument against certifying the results.
The Fake Electors Plot and Complicity
Vance’s reference to alternative slates of electors echoes one of the most controversial strategies deployed by Trump’s team in their attempt to stay in power: the fake electors plot. According to sources, including a report by CNN and AP, key members of Trump’s legal and political teams coordinated a plan to submit fraudulent electors from swing states that Trump had lost. Audio recordings obtained from these investigations reveal Trump’s associates discussing how to advance fake electors to challenge the official outcomes.
In a damning email, Jack Wilenchik, a lawyer who helped organize the bogus electors in Arizona – he wrote, “We would just be sending in ‘fake’ electors,” acknowledging that the documents they were about to submit were not legitimate. Furthermore, evidence shows that Trump’s team worked with state-level Republican operatives to push these false electors forward as part of a broader effort to delay the certification of the election results in Congress.
These actions, often characterized as attempts to subvert the democratic process, culminated in the violent events of January 6th, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to prevent the certification of the Electoral College votes. Vance’s refusal to unequivocally endorse the certification of the 2020 election, combined with his remarks about alternative electors, aligns with the dangerous legal theories and actions undertaken by Trump’s team.
JustSecurity did an excellent job writing up the entire timeline of the illegal conspiracy HERE; here’s a summary of their conclusion:
A part of former President Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election involved an effort to misuse the Electoral College in seven battleground states. On Dec. 14, 2020, legitimate members of the Electoral College met across the country to sign certificates declaring which presidential candidate won their state. That day, in several states that Biden had won, Republicans met to sign certificates declaring that they were the “duly elected and qualified” members of the Electoral College and falsely declaring Trump the winner of their state. They sent their documents to the National Archives.
In the runup to Jan. 6, 2021, these false certificates were used in an effort to claim that Vice President Mike Pence could decide either not to recognize any electors from these “disputed states” (meaning an outright Trump win) or else delay the certification of the election.
The Washington Post added THIS:
“The idea was apparently that the slate of fake electors would somehow be kept secret before Jan. 6 and then be sprung on an unsuspecting political world when Congress counted the electoral votes. Precisely why isn’t clear, but it’s certainly a remarkable plot to overturn democracy. It’s also very difficult to square with the fake-elector plot being characterized as merely a contingency.”
The Courts Rejected Trump’s Claims
One of the most critical elements in this discussion is the overwhelming number of legal challenges that Trump and his allies lost in the aftermath of the 2020 election. “At least 86 judges — from state courts to the U.S. Supreme Court — have rejected at least one post-election lawsuit filed by Trump or his supporters“. These cases often lacked credible evidence and were built on baseless accusations of widespread fraud.
Despite these legal defeats, Trump continued to publicly deny the legitimacy of the election, even going so far as to pressure state officials, most notably Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In a phone call that has since been made public, Trump implored Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes,” the exact number needed to overturn his loss in Georgia.
The audacity of Trump’s requests, combined with his team’s involvement in the fake electors plot, illustrates a clear disregard for democratic norms. Despite this, Vance did not acknowledge these actions or criticize the broader effort to subvert the election. His focus on asking states for alternative slates of electors falls in line with Trump’s own strategies and reflects a willingness to undermine the democratic process.
Democracy on the Ballot
As the 2024 election looms, figures like JD Vance represent a growing faction within the Republican Party that continues to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Vance’s refusal to unequivocally endorse the certification of that election is not just a policy issue; it is a question of whether he respects the core principles of American democracy.
But let’s be absolutely 100% clear; don’t confuse JD Vance’s calm tone with that of a moderate viewpoint; his calm demeanor hides an incredibly radical agenda. Make no mistake about it; his lack of an internal compass and apparent ambition in politics is very dangerous.
Trump’s repeated failures in court, the exposure of the fake electors plot, and his direct attempts to pressure state officials demonstrate a concerted effort to cling to power despite losing the election. For a democracy to function, election results must be respected, and those in power must adhere to the rule of law. Vance’s inability to provide a clear answer on whether he would have certified the election is a disturbing sign of where his priorities lie.
In the end, democracy is on the ballot in 2024. Whether or not figures like Vance are willing to defend the will of the people will shape the future of the country for years to come.
Featured image via public domain + AI
