GOP Sen. Tom Cotton, if Arkansas, is being dragged on Twitter after he griped Wednesday night that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola defeated Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich to succeed the late Rep. Don Young (R) because the election was rigged by ranked-choice voting.
Ranked-choice voting was approved by Alaska voters in 2020. In a ranked-choice election, voters rank their candidates. If no candidate wins a majority of first-place votes ― as happened in this case ― the candidate who finished last is removed and their votes go to each voter’s second choice.
Peltola won a plurality in the first round, then an outright majority after the ranked-choice tabulations in the second.
But Cotton was not happy with the results and took to Twitter to call the election a “scam.
“Ranked-choice voting is a scam to rig elections,” Cotton said before adding in a second tweet: “60% of Alaska voters voted for a Republican, but thanks to a convoluted process and ballot exhaustion—which disenfranchises voters—a Democrat “won.”
Twitter users were not amused and proceeded to school the Arkansas Senator, pointing out that Cotton’s critics were quick to point out that many Republicans were so unhappy with Palin that they were willing to accept a Democrat instead.
His critics also noted that the same could just as easily apply to the Electoral College system, which disenfranchises voters and in 2000 and 2016 allowed a Republican presidential candidate to win despite receiving fewer votes than the Democratic candidate.
Check Cotton’s tweet and some of the responses below:
60% of Alaska voters voted for a Republican, but thanks to a convoluted process and ballot exhaustion—which disenfranchises voters—a Democrat “won.”
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) September 1, 2022
Actually even w/o ranked choice voting, the Democrat won but once again Cotton shows us that if a Republican doesn’t win it’s a “rigged” election. Today’s GOP is how democracies die. If you want to save democracy, vote Democrat Nov 8. (below are results w/o ranked choice) pic.twitter.com/n5DRAFkv4G
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) September 1, 2022
Tom loves electoral college & gerrymandering but hates when every vote counts & majority rules Cry harder Tom pic.twitter.com/qMbfsL6Ylx
— Peace ☮️, love, voting & womens rights 💔 (@Bidenwonthnkgod) September 1, 2022
Let’s look at the convoluted Electoral College for POTUS, Tom.
Tom? Oh Tom!? Gee, he was just here complaining about convoluted voting procedures. He must be off to pickup a ‘donation’ from Charles Koch or some other billionaire.https://t.co/0z9rWFq4yG— Bryan Cooper…😎 (@fbcooper1) September 1, 2022
Huh. So you think the candidate that gets the most votes should win.
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. pic.twitter.com/RcpMFy6ZPT
— Brian Hawkins (@bullcitybrian) September 1, 2022
Wait til you learn who got the most votes in the 2016 election
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) September 1, 2022
You are so right, so Hillary Clinton won in 2016 and should have been President!!! Thanks Tom for finally understanding that tRump should have never ever been president. pic.twitter.com/YwzK8uTN4y
— Phoenix Wise Ⓥ of the rock band The Resistance ✊🏽 (@TheGr8Illusion) September 1, 2022
Cry more, Tommy.
It’s literally called ranked choice voting.
Republican voters who backed Begich ranked Palin behind the Democratic candidate.
If voters didn’t get their first choice, they got their second choice. That’s how it works.
— Matt Ortega (@MattOrtega) September 1, 2022
— Andrew Cai (@AndrewCai18) September 1, 2022
— Donald Miller (@WizBob) September 1, 2022
Sore loser! Republicans only win when they cheat!
— GGSandi (@LustigSandi) September 1, 2022
