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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Romney Not Switching Parties, Contrary to Online Claim

Romney Not Switching Parties, Contrary to Online Claim

Sen. Mitt Romney has sometimes been critical of fellow Republicans and veered from the party line. But an Instagram post falsely claims Romney “threatens to leave the Republican Party and Join Democrats.” A Romney spokesperson said there is “zero truth” to the claim, and the senator has filed for reelection in 2024 as a Republican.

Posts Mislead on Rules for Guns at NRA Convention, Utah GOP Event

Posts Mislead on Rules for Guns at NRA Convention, Utah GOP Event

The three-day National Rifle Association convention in Indianapolis allowed attendees to carry firearms, except for a two-hour period when former President Donald Trump and other leaders spoke in a hall secured by the Secret Service. Yet, social media posts from a Democratic advocacy group misleadingly claimed that “guns were BANNED at the NRA convention.”

Ad from Super PAC Misleadingly Edits Utah Candidate’s Comments About Republican Base

Ad from Super PAC Misleadingly Edits Utah Candidate’s Comments About Republican Base

In TV and social media ads, Club for Growth Action misleadingly edited remarks by independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin of Utah to make it appear he said that “the Republican base is racist.” In fact, McMullin said “there is an element of the Republican base that is racist,” and that the party’s leaders won’t stand up to them for fear of losing votes.

Viral Voting Misinformation

Viral Voting Misinformation

Several posts on social media have made false or misleading claims alleging voter suppression and voting fraud across the United States.

Video Doesn’t Show Voter Fraud in Utah

Video Doesn’t Show Voter Fraud in Utah

A video suggesting that there’s been “voter fraud” in Utah has been circulating online, but all it actually shows is a misunderstanding of a poll worker’s mistake on the first day of early, in-person voting. The mistake was corrected and the system worked, as intended.

Navajo Didn’t Support Shrinking Bears Ears

Navajo Didn’t Support Shrinking Bears Ears

Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke claimed the Navajo people who “live close” to Bears Ears National Monument “were all in support” of President Donald Trump’s decision to shrink the protected land. But tribe representatives told us that’s false.

‘Lost Jobs’ from Obamacare

‘Lost Jobs’ from Obamacare

Republicans have distorted a Congressional Budget Office report, wrongly claiming that it said the Affordable Care Act would cause more than 2 million people to “lose their jobs.”

Blurring the Record in Utah

Blurring the Record in Utah

A group supporting Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch claims in a TV ad that a Republican challenger “voted to allow state employees to double dip, collecting a pension and a pay check.” That’s a gross exaggeration. Hatch’s opponent, former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist, actually authored a bill in the state Senate to ban double dipping.
The ad’s claim is based on the fact that the bill later was amended to allow the practice to continue on a smaller,