GOP Maryland Candidate Refuses To Concede Despite Losing By 300K Votes

• A Maryland Republican said that he would not concede election, despite leading by more than 300,000.
• Peroutka claimed “odd and suspect” election activity, but did not provide any details. 
• The Maryland state board for elections stated that it has not seen any suspicious incidents.

Despite trailing his opponent by more 300,000 votes, the GOP nominee for Maryland attorney general has refused concessions.

Late Tuesday night, Michael Peroutka (hard-right candidate) lost his race against Anthony Brown (Democrat). per the Associated Press. As of Friday Maryland reported 100% of the votes counted, showing Brown with 60.71% vote. 

Both Brown — and Democrat Wes Moore — made history as the state’s first Black attorney general and governor, respectively. 

Perouta sent supporters an email stating that he would not concede and claiming that there had been electoral fraud. according to The Washington Post. A version of this statement was also available. posted to a Facebook pageHis campaign was responsible for the majority of these results. 

It stated that “During yesterday’s vote, many strange and suspicious incidents were reported to poll watchers. More reports are being gathered today.”

It said that Perouta will “investigate these strange events and I don’t plan to concede the race.”

In a later postPeroutka also posted on the Facebook page, asking voters who cast their ballots at Howard County middle schools to contact him. Peroutka stated that he is open to speaking with “any election workers from that site,” not just poll watchers, mais any officials, judges, chief judges.

Peroutka did no provide evidence to support his claims and did not respond to Insider’s request that he make further comments. 

The Post obtained a statement from the Maryland State Board of Elections that stated that Marylanders can be confident in the result.

The statement said that the board “works with the various local boards of elections to determine if referral of reported activities is warranted to the Office of the State Prosecutor.”

“SBE is unaware of any such incidents at this time.” Marylanders can feel confident in the integrity and fairness of the state’s elections processes. Any inappropriate activity will be investigated thoroughly.

Dirk Haire, Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, stated to the paper that he had not seen any unusual election activity.

Peroutka is a former member of Anne Arundel County Council and a former debt-collection lawyer. Between 2012 and 2014 he was a League of the South board member. according to Vice. The group is now designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Vice reported that Peroutka had disavowed racist statements made in the leader of the group but not the group itself. 

He was a Maryland attorney general candidate and campaigned on gun rights, border security, protection of the elderly and “pre-born”, and opposing mandates regarding health. per his website.

He also called for the prosecution officials who “have exceeded lawful authority” and promised that he would “investigate discrepancies in recent Maryland elections.” 

October Peroutka commented on the 2020 presidential election,claiming that it was wrong for the media to call election denialism “The Big Lie.” 

“Their claim that there is no evidence of fraud or corruption is itself nothing more than a blithe assertion — without evidence or support — and actually impossible to prove,” he wrote. 

There has been a wealth independent fact checks, lawsuits, election investigationsNone of these have been able to uncover evidence of widespread election fraud in 2020.