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The
announcement by Wisconsin Elections Commission member Dean
Knudson, a Republican, creates more uncertainty as the embattled
panel plans to elect a chairman ahead of competitive
congressional and gubernatorial elections in November.
"It's become clear to me that I cannot be effective in my role
of representing Republicans on the commission," Knudson said at
a Wednesday meeting of the bipartisan commission, which oversees
elections in the Midwestern industrial state.
Trump lost Wisconsin by nearly 21,000 votes in 2020, but many
Republican officials and candidates in the state have refused to
acknowledge Trump's defeat despite multiple recounts and a state
audit affirming the result. Several Republican candidates have
called for abolishing the commission.
Knudson's replacement will be selected by Wisconsin Assembly
Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican who ordered an investigation of
the 2020 election despite scant evidence of fraud. However, Vos
also has acknowledged Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the state.
Vos did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump has pressed fellow Republicans to continue challenging his
2020 election defeat, even though lawsuits, recounts and audits
have not uncovered any evidence of fraud.
He has not always been successful: Republican primary voters in
Georgia on Tuesday rejected several high-profile candidates who
put those claims front and center.
(This story corrects fourth paragraph to show Trump lost
Wisconsin)
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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