Election Integrity: What We Can Learn From Richard Nixon

In recent years there have been numerous claims regarding "stolen" elections at all levels of government. Questions about election integrity increased after the razor thin diffrences in the Florida vote between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Albert Gore, Jr. in the 2000 presidential election. Paper ballot "hanging chads" became new words in American vocabulary as recounts were started and stopped until the Supreme Court intervened. Bush was declared the winner and was duly inaugurated on January 20, 2001. The whole Florida dispute left a sour taste in the mouths of Gore partisans who to this day sincerely believe that the wrong man was inaugurated and served as president.

Since then, questions about election integrity and results have become more common. Most scandalously, after the 2020 election, incumbent President Donald Trump insisted that he won the election, though the Electoral College indicated that Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was the victor. Infamously, a mob rioted in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021 and tried to pierce the congressional chamber where the results were being certified under the leadership of Vice President Mike Pence who was fulfilling his constitutional role by presiding. President Trump did not attend his successor's inauguration and continues to insist that he won that election. The Democrat members of the Senate have questioned various nominees who require senate confirmation over who won the 2020 elections and foolishly Trump nominees evasively answer that Joe Biden was certified, but they will not say he won the election. This behavior does not benefit the nation nor does it benefit the Republican Party. In any contest between two parties, one must win and one must lose. We are not a totalitarian nation with only one party. Civilized people must accept that the results are valid and honest; Of course it behooves the election authority to be vigilant and insure that the elections and the results are honest and beyond question.

Elections are stolen. Perhaps one of the most significant was the Texas Democrat primary for US Senate nominee in 1948. At that time, the "solid south" was dominated by the Democratic Party and their nominees were assured of election. (For all intents and purposes, the Republlcan Party did not exist in most of the south). In that primary, Rep. Lyndon B, Johnson ran against Gov. Coke Stevenson. LBJ won that primary by 47 votes with the legal assistance of Abe Fortas and money from Texas oil interests. The votes from deep southern Texas to this day are questionable, as the reported results from these counties had more votes for LBJ than voters. Of course, "Landslide Lyndon" went on to the Senate and ultimately to the presidency. Presumably, had there been an honest count, American history would have been very different.

Which brings us to the pivotal election of November 8, 1960. It was a cliffhanger between Vice President Richard M. Nixon (R) and Senator John F Kennedy (D). Only 110,000 popular votes separated the totals of the two candidates. Credible evidence of vote fraud in Illinois existed and a change of only 4,480 votes would have moved Illinois' electoral votes into Nixon's column. Nixon's advisors asked him to seek a recount which could have taken weeks. Richard Nixon said no as "it'd tear the country to pieces. You can't do that".

Despite Nixon's questionable legacy beause of the Watergate cover-up which resulted in his being the only president to resign from that office, his greatness should be acknowledged. Americans should take note of Nixon's behavior in 1960 and demand better from our politicians of both parties who must put country ahead of career.

Garry S. Sklar

Las Vegas, NV

November 1, 2026