Democratic voters took part in the Republican primaries in Georgia to block a candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump from winning, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
Registered Democrats in Georgia took advantage of a state election law allowing registered voters to vote in all party primaries regardless of their party affiliation to prevent Trump-endorsed candidates from making it on the general election ballot, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Republican Georgia Rep. Jody Hice announced he would not seek reelection in the House of Representatives, but would instead run for Georgia Secretary of State. Trump endorsed Hice in the Republican primary against incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a frequent target of Trump’s animus. (RELATED: Biden-Backed Incumbent Loses Primary To Ultra-Progressive Newcomer)
“Unlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity. I have 100% confidence in Jody to fight for Free, Fair, and Secure Elections in Georgia, in line with our beloved U.S. Constitution. Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections!” Trump said in his endorsement.
University of Georgia staff member Diane Murray said she voted in the Republican primary last week despite not being a registered Republican because stopping a Trump-back candidate was paramount, according to the AP.
“I feel strongly that our democracy is at risk, and that people who are holding up the big lie, as we call it, and holding onto the former president are dangerous to democracy,” Murray told the AP.
“I don’t know I’ll do it again because of how I felt afterward,” she said, noting that voting for a Republican made her feel “icky,” according to the outlet.
Over 37,000 Georgia voters who voted in the Democratic primary in 2020 chose to vote in the May 24 Republican primary, reported the AP.
Some Democrats are voting in Republican primaries to block Donald Trump’s preferred candidates. That likely helped Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger win his primary, an @AP analysis found. https://t.co/355Bn23wML
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) May 31, 2022
“Even taking into account the limited sample of early votes, the data reveal that crossover voters were consequential in defeating Trump’s hand-picked candidates for secretary of state and, to a lesser extent, governor,” the AP’s analysis of early voting records stated.
Raffensperger avoided a runoff election by clearing the 50% vote threshold by just over 27,000 votes, according to the outlet. Raffensperger beat Hice in the GOP primary for Georgia Secretary of State by 221,406 votes, according to the latest poll numbers.