Biden Administration to Name WA State Republican to Oversee Election Security
Joe Biden is more shrewd at playing the political game than most people give him credit for. Nearly a year after winning an election that some continue to insist he lost, the President is on the cusp of appointing a Republican who challenged Trump’s false claims of fraud to serve as the election security lead for the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
With nine incumbent Republicans being primaried by Trump-backed candidates—some of whom are already calling for “a full forensic audit” of the 2022 midterms before a vote has been cast–President Biden’s choice of Kim Wyman, a Republican from Washington State who challenged Donald Trump’s false claims of election fraud, indicates he’s looking to nip any future election challenges in the bud.
CNN reports that federal officials have for weeks been in talks with Wyman, who has served as a secretary of state for 12 years. For the last year, Wyman has repeatedly refuted Trump’s false assertions that mail-in ballots invite fraud. Trump’s proclamations, she said, were undermining US democracy. And in a May interview with CNN’s “New Day,” Wyman sharply criticized the sham “audit” of 2020 election results commissioned by Arizona Republicans.
Excellent news! Kim Wyman is the real deal and a true professional. Nice addition to the @CISAgov team as they continue to play a key role in defending democracy. https://t.co/Z9AlX5zvkt
— Chris Krebs (@C_C_Krebs) October 26, 2021
Wyman would be a federal liaison to state and local officials as they look for resources and support to protect election infrastructure from hacking and voters from disinformation campaigns. She has the experience to draw on, having spent nearly a decade as the elections director for Thurston County, Washington, before being elected secretary of state.
A message to all my supporters about the future. pic.twitter.com/1Eb8JLhSHa
— Kim Wyman (@KimWyman12) October 26, 2021
The sources said Wyman’s selection would not be official until all administrative paperwork is cleared with the White House and the administration announces her appointment, but Wyman has already announced she has accepted the position and will be leaving her role in the Washington State government.
Kim Wyman, the Republican secretary of state in Washington State, just announced that she is resigning to take a job in the Biden administration focused on election security. pic.twitter.com/CyXyVK9yWw
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) October 26, 2021
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