DENVER — President Donald Trump late Thursday night posted a racist video portraying former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. After backlash, the post was removed Friday.
This and President Trump's statements earlier this week that Republicans should "nationalize the voting" is a tipping point for Republicans, at least according to the Republican head of the Colorado County Clerks Association (CCCA).
Matt Crane, a Repubilcan, is executive director of the CCCA and the former County Clerk for Arapahoe County.
Denver7 anchor Shannon Ogden asked Crane if there is a backstop of Republicans who will prevent the president from taking unconstitutional actions like nationalizing elections.
"I think that group is growing by the day. We saw that tweet that came out of the White House this morning. A lot of Republicans are very concerned about what this administration is doing to the party and the principles of what it means to be a Republican and what that means going forward," said Crane. "You're starting to see a lot more people speak out and certainly, behind the scenes, there's a lot more conversations happening about that."
Crane said he is concerned about the midterms because of the rhetoric out of the White House that is based on lies about fraudulent voting. But he said Coloradans should rest assured that trustworthy mechanisms and officials are in place in Colorado to run safe, reliable and secure elections.
Denver7 has been following reaction all week from local elections officials after President Donald Trump called on Republicans to “take over” and “nationalize” voting.
Politics
Denver clerk says Trump's calls to nationalize elections are 'unconstitutional'
Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution gives states the responsibility of holding elections. It states: "The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of choosing Senators."
The federal government, including Congress and several agencies, is responsible for crafting election laws and policies.
Trump originally made the comments in a Monday podcast interview with former FBI Director Dan Bongino. He doubled down on his controversial suggestion a day later.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Trump was referring to the SAVE Act.
That's legislation President Trump has been pushing Republicans to pass during his second term in office. It would require proof of citizenship to vote, even though citizenship is already legally required to do so. The SAVE Act, does, however, specify what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005.
Later Tuesday, reporters asked the President to clarify his comments on nationalizing elections as he signed the government funding bill surrounded by Republicans in the White House.
The President did not mention the SAVE Act.
“I want to see elections be honest,” Trump said when asked by reporters to clarify what he meant about nationalizing elections, while signing the funding bill. “If a state can’t run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it.”
Trump again repeated his false claims about the 2020 election being rigged.
"When you see some of these states, how horribly they run their elections. Go to 2020, look at the facts coming out, rigged, crooked elections," President Trump said.
Trump mentioned Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Pennsylvania as places that have "horrible corruption with elections."
Denver7's Jessica Porter spoke with Denver County Clerk and Recorder Paul López earlier this week, who said these statements are meant to sow distrust in fair elections.
“I think it's absolutely outrageous,” López said. “That's not what the Constitution says. That's not how the election system works. Those powers are reserved to the states. It is against the law what he's saying.”
López said elections should be non-partisan and not controlled by one party, as President Trump suggested.
"It creates a sense of partisanship where there is no partisanship. Elections officials are Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated. They work together, putting country before party," López said.
Denver7 has previously covered President Trump's attempts to change how elections are run when he issued an executive order in March 2025 that voters must show proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
