Washington's Republican Secretary of State may quit the GOP

False claims that Democrats stole the 2020 election led to threats of violence against Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman and her staff. Wyman is now doing some "soul searching."

“My elections director this week is with her family at an undisclosed location, because she's worried about her own safety,” she said.

Wyman also said she might leave the Republican Party.

"I think every Republican elected official right now in the country is really having to do some soul searching about why they're Republican, and what it means to them, and why they are a part of the the party. I know I have been doing that," she said.

Wyman blames President Trump and others for undermining confidence in US election results.

“Before a ballot was printed, before any election official even knew who was going to be on the ballot, the President of the United States was talking about rigged elections, and that it was the only explanation that was plausible for him losing," she said.

She offered a football analogy.

"After the Patriots lost their game a few weeks ago, you didn't see Bill Belichick yelling and screaming and saying the only explanation is there must be cheating and we have to go to the Super Bowl," she said.

Wyman sees a direct link between lies about the election results and the violence that occurred in Washington DC on January 6. It's leading her to rethink her membership in the party.

"If that's what my party stands for now, I don't know that I can continue being a Republican, because that's not what republicanism is about," Wyman said.

According to recent Crosscut/ Elway polling, 61% of Republicans in Washington state either had no confidence or expressed doubts that their 2020 ballot was counted fairly.

Wyman said election officials in Washington will need to work hard to turn that skepticism around starting with "more transparency," which could mean inviting people who have their doubts to get a firsthand look at all of the steps that are taken at the local level to ensure fair elections.