Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett made a provocative claim on Monday, suggesting that the recent acquisition of Dominion Voting Systems by a former GOP election reform advocate could be a plan to “rig” the 2026 midterm elections in favor of Republicans.
Appearing on the podcast “Defending Democracy with Marc Elias,” Crockett focused on the purchase of Dominion by Scott Leiendecker, founder and chairman of Liberty Vote. Leiendecker, a former GOP election reform advocate, finalized the deal in October.
Crockett theorized that Leiendecker, whom she claimed was a friend of President Donald Trump, may have purchased the election technology company specifically to “play with the machines” and help Republicans cheat in the upcoming midterms.
“We do know that one of his friends has purchased Dominion,” Crockett stated on the podcast. “I personally believe that that ally purchased Dominion so that he could potentially play with the machines… I think that they’re trying to solidify their cheat, potentially with the voting machines.”
The Democratic Representative urged state-level officials to reject the use of Dominion machines going forward. “It’s going to be really important for us to educate all states that we can to make sure that their secretary of states are like, ‘We don’t want the Dominion machines,’” she added.
The deal for Leiendecker to acquire Dominion was contingent on the company dropping several remaining lawsuits against prominent conservative figures and news outlets, including One America News Network (OANN).
In response to the acquisition, Leiendecker has vowed to rebuild public trust in election systems.
“Liberty Vote will be 100 percent American-owned, American-built and independently audited,” Leiendecker told the Daily Caller in October. “We won’t ask for trust — we’ll earn it and prove it.”
He further emphasized a commitment to paper-based transparency, security, and simplicity, stating, “Liberty Vote signals a new chapter for American elections — one where trust is rebuilt from the ground up.”
Dominion Voting Systems previously secured major defamation settlements, including a $787.5 million agreement with Fox News in April 2023 and a settlement with Newsmax Media Inc. over its coverage following the 2020 presidential election.
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