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MSNBC host and former chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele tempered his reaction to the Democratic Party’s victories on Tuesday night, warning that Republicans had a “Plan B” that could undermine those gains.
Steele claimed Republicans are preparing to influence the 2026 midterm elections to maintain political control despite Democrats’ victories on Tuesday.
“And the Plan B is for the state election offices now through 2026 to control and set up these operations to ensure that not only do you have poll watchers and poll watchers, but that they also have some degree of control over the system,” Steele said during MSNBC’s Election Night coverage on Tuesday.
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MSNBC commentator Michael Steele warned that the GOP has a “Plan B” to counter Democrats’ recent election victories – a conspiracy to rig the 2026 midterm elections. (NBC NewsWire/Getty)
Democratic candidates scored victories in several blue states across the country on Tuesday night. Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger won the race for governor of Virginia, while Mikie Sherrill captured the governorship of New Jersey.
Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won his election for mayor of New York City on Tuesday evening.
Steele told the MSNBC panel it’s worth asking why Republican voters don’t appear to be concerned about Democratic victories, suggesting that this reinforces the notion that they have a backup plan.
“Here’s the side of the Republican Party, this Republican Party, that you can’t lose sight of. The reason they don’t care, or it seems like they don’t care, is because they have a Plan B.”
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Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate former Rep. Abigail Spanberger celebrates as she takes the stage during her election night rally at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on November 4, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“You can’t lose sight of that side of that equation, how they gain ultimate control, and of course all the other things that lead to and feed into these different narratives,” he added.
Other media commentators have accused Republicans and former President Donald Trump of plotting to influence the 2026 midterm elections.
Former CNN commentator Angela Rye said on a podcast in July: “Even if [the midterms] will happen, will they cheat like they did? I still feel like they did it in the 2024 election? I don’t have any data. I have a gut feeling, but I’m going to tell you about the black woman and the Holy Spirit. We’ve come to the right place.”
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Michael Steele once led the Republican National Committee before becoming an outspoken critic of the party he once led. (AP)
That same month, Democratic strategist James Carville said, “In short, yes,” when former CNN anchor Jim Acosta asked whether he thought Trump would rig the midterm votes.
“To put it longer: very much,” Carville added.
Although Steele promoted the conspiracy theory that the GOP would rig next year’s midterm elections, he condemned Republican lawmakers who claimed the Democratic Party rigged the 2020 presidential election.
In 2021, after Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said he stood by his vote and challenged the 2020 election certification, Steele responded that it was proven Republicans are “stupid.”.”
“We’re just flooding into the truth of who Republicans are and how they see themselves,” Steele told MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace at the time. “It’s just another level of stupidity for us to buy.”
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