Hi John,

The president’s playbook is as predictable as it is tyrannical. He has spent months making it clear that he and his party would try to slow down election counts in critical states, and use the confusion to declare a false victory and try to invalidate legal votes which couldn’t be counted on Election Day.  We knew this was his plan, so it was unsurprising that this is precisely what he tried to do with his false, early morning victory declaration today.

Those are not the actions of a patriotic American president, they are the actions of an aspiring dictator grasping for power. He wants us to lose faith in our democracy and in our constitutional rights. But we are stronger than his lies, and our system of government is more powerful than his authoritarian spasms.

We will not rest until all lawful ballots are counted and all results are certified by the states. 

We’ve known that this election would take longer to count than others in recent history. The record setting turnout and reliance on mail-in ballots was expected. This wait is a result of careful counting and normal, secure practices. Contrary to the President’s lies, shifting vote totals are not a sign of fraud. Quite the opposite, they are a sign that votes are being counted.

What Trump has demanded, however, would be fraud. To stop counting ballots now would disenfranchise millions of American citizens, all to protect one man’s fragile grasp on power. That might be how some of Trump’s favorite dictators act, but it is not how America acts.

So disregard Trump’s false claim of victory, but do not forget it. Do not forget his dictatorial impulses and do not ignore his efforts to abuse and steal power. The days ahead will be filled with uncertainty and Trump and his far-right enablers will seize on the confusion that they themselves are creating to justify their attempts to discredit our election.

We must be patient and resilient. Watch closely to ensure votes are counted, look to authoritative state and local sources, and do your part to debunk disinformation from friends, neighbors, and even the White House. Lastly, sign up below to become a part of the “Protect the Results Coalition” standing up for our election integrity.

The President will continue to lie. He has for over four years now. But we will not be deceived and we will not be baited into fear or extremism. Instead we will stand resolutely on the side of democracy and the Constitution.

Sincerely,
Stand Up Republic