A series of stories produced by graduate students in the Washington Program of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism is focusing on key Republican secretary of state primary election whose outcomes could have a profound impact on the 2024 presidential election.
In each of these states — Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, and Nevada – one or more of the Republican candidates defend “The Big Lie,” former President Donald Trump’s false claim that he was denied re-election because of election fraud.
In many of the states, these election deniers are challenging more mainstream Republicans, and the outcome of primary balloting is a first sign of how much power Trump and his supporters still have in influencing local and national politics. The students also reported on general election prospects for these Republican hopefuls and how they are lined up to challenge their Democratic rivals and to impact the voting process in their states.
The Medill students were in the Politics, Policy and Foreign Affairs Specialization program.
Their work also was part of a collaboration with USA Today. The students provided their original writing, reporting and video storytelling as well as the data for an interactive map that provides voters with the facts on how to register to vote, rules on absentee and early voting, and procedures for voting on Election Day.