• Home
  • Opinion
  • Quizzes
  • Redistricting
  • Sections
  • About Us
  • Voting
  • Events
  • Civic Ed
  • Campaign Finance
  • Directory
  • Election Dissection
  • Fact Check
  • Glossary
  • Independent Voter News
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Subscriptions
  • Log in
Leveraging Our Differences
  • news & opinion
    • Big Picture
      • Civic Ed
      • Ethics
      • Leadership
      • Leveraging big ideas
      • Media
    • Business & Democracy
      • Corporate Responsibility
      • Impact Investment
      • Innovation & Incubation
      • Small Businesses
      • Stakeholder Capitalism
    • Elections
      • Campaign Finance
      • Independent Voter News
      • Redistricting
      • Voting
    • Government
      • Balance of Power
      • Budgeting
      • Congress
      • Judicial
      • Local
      • State
      • White House
    • Justice
      • Accountability
      • Anti-corruption
      • Budget equity
    • Columns
      • Beyond Right and Left
      • Civic Soul
      • Congress at a Crossroads
      • Cross-Partisan Visions
      • Democracy Pie
      • Our Freedom
  • Pop Culture
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
  • events
  • About
      • Mission
      • Advisory Board
      • Staff
      • Contact Us
Sign Up
  1. Home>
  2. Newsletter>
  3. newsletter>

How some leaders on the right are fighting for a healthy democracy

The Fulcrum
April 19, 2022



Good morning

Center-right pushes back against election deniers

Evan McMullin

George Frey/Getty Images

There have been a number of news stories lately about the increasing number of election deniers who are running for secretary of state or other election administration positions this year. While these candidates are Trump-aligned Republicans, the pushback isn’t just coming from Democrats and independents.

The Fulcrum’s Faye Shen Li Thijssen recently spoke with Joel Searby, political director for the Renew America Movement, which was formed by current and former Republicans to build what they call a deep “pro-democracy” bench.

RAM says it will work with Republicans, Democrats and independents to strengthen democracy in the United States fighting extremism on all sides. The group’s boldface names include former Trump administration official Miles “Anonymous” Taylor, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, attorney George Conway, and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

“People who see the risks to our democracy right now are putting down a lot of their own personal preferences in order to build alliances to work against the most extreme elements of our parties, particularly on the Republican side,” Searby told Faye.

One possible path forward is the establishment of a viable third party. Evan McMullin, a former CIA operative who left the Republican Party and ran for president as an independent in 2016, is among RAM’s co-founders. He is attempting another run as an independent this year, challenging GOP Sen. Mike Lee in Utah.

“I see a lot of energy in the third way space, of people who want to see an entirely new way in our politics, not just trying to fix the two broken parties but thinking of new ways to creatively disrupt the system,” Searby said.

Read the full story, including what may be the biggest challenge for the movement. (Hint: It involves $$.)

And some further reading:

  • ‘Election integrity summits’ aim to fire up Trump activists over big lie (The Guardian)
  • Fighting Trump, Dems launch plan to elect thousands of local election supervisors (Politico)

Don’t miss out on America Talks – happening this week

Our nation is divided, making it near impossible to create solutions to our most pressing problems. But you can be part of the solution. Sign up for American Talks 2022 and join thousands of people for one-on-one and small-group video conversations to heal our partisan divide. The Fulcrum is a proud media partner for America Talks, because we can’t fix our democracy without coming together as one nation. The conversations are happening Thursday and Saturday. Register now!

Do you hear the people sing for Ukraine?

The pop culture section of The Fulcrum appeals to the human spirit – spirit that expresses the joys, sorrows and harmonies of the heart and soul. Culture is the quintessence of humanity’s expressive hope; the realm of endeavor in which our senses can be shared in family, community and country.

Music can inspire, and during this time of world human suffering music and politics have become entwined again as so often happens in crisis.

We are pleased to share several examples of how today’s artists from around the world are trying to save democracy one song at a time.

Stevie Nicks hopes Vladimir Putin never sleeps again

Rock icons Pink Floyd call on people to rise up for Ukraine

Do you hear the people sing?

The state of voting

Each week, the Voting Rights Lab recounts legislative activity in the states. Driving the latest update is movement on voter identification laws in Arizona and Missouri, as well as a series of changes in New York that make it easier for people to vote.

Read the full update.

Also in the news

Voters With Disabilities Face New Ballot Restrictions Ahead Of Midterms (Stateline)

Federal court looking into Ohio redistricting saga (WTOV9)

Without federal voting protections, many look to states as the ‘laboratories of democracy’ (Prism)

Politics Podcast: How Old Is Too Old For Elected Office? (FiveThirtyEight)

Upcoming events

Unify Challenge - Unify America - 4/19

Twitter Space on Dark Money - The Democracy Group and Campaign Legal Center - 4/20

America Talks - 4/21 and 4/23

The Role of Faith in Times of Crisis and War - Mediators Beyond Borders International - 4/21

newsletter

Want to write
for The Fulcrum?

If you have something to say about ways to protect or repair our American democracy, we want to hear from you.

Submit
Get some Leverage Sign up for The Fulcrum Newsletter
Confirm that you are not a bot.
×
Follow
Contributors

Why does a man wearing earrings drive Christians crazy?

Paul Swearengin

DeSantis' sitcom world

Lawrence Goldstone

Hypocrisy of pro-lifers being anti-LGBTQIA

Steve Corbin

A dangerous loss of trust

William Natbony

Shifting the narrative on homelessness in America

David L. Nevins

Reform in 2023: Leadership worth celebrating

Layla Zaidane
latest News

How America gets to a new center

Dave Anderson
18h

Why are we building a new party in California?

Lucie Repova
18h

Ask Joe: Two sides of a story

Joe Weston
02 June

Podcast: Saving democracy from & with AI

Our Staff
01 June

Default? Financial crisis? Political theater?

David Butler
01 June

Three practical presidential pledges to promote national prosperity

James-Christian B. Blockwood
31 May
Videos

Video: Daughters and Sons

David L. Nevins

Video: Why music? Why now?

David L. Nevins

Video: Honoring Memorial Day

Our Staff

Video: #ListenFirst Friday YOUnify & CPL

Our Staff

Video: What is the toll of racial violence on Black lives?

Our Staff

Video: What's next for migrants seeking asylum after Title 42

Our Staff
Podcasts

Podcast: Saving democracy from & with AI

Our Staff
01 June

Podcast: AI revolution: Disaster or great leap forward?

Our Staff
25 May

Podcast: Can we fix America's financial crises?

Our Staff
23 May

Podcast: Gen Z's fight for democracy

Our Staff
22 May
Recommended
Video: Daughters and Sons

Video: Daughters and Sons

Big Picture
How America gets to a new center

How America gets to a new center

Elections
Why are we building a new party in California?

Why are we building a new party in California?

Voting
Why does a man wearing earrings drive Christians crazy?

Why does a man wearing earrings drive Christians crazy?

Diversity Inclusion and Belonging
DeSantis' sitcom world

DeSantis' sitcom world

Opinion
Ask Joe: Two sides of a story

Ask Joe: Two sides of a story

Pop Culture