Which conspiracy theories has Candace Owens promoted about the 2020 and 2024 U.S. elections?
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Executive summary
Candace Owens has repeatedly promoted claims that question the legitimacy of the 2020 U.S. presidential election—asserting fraud tied to mail-in ballots—and has amplified other conspiratorial narratives in the 2024 cycle, including wildist speculation about public figures and internal Republican plots; reporting documents her spreading of false claims about 2020 mail‑in ballots and numerous fringe theories that drew criticism and internal GOP pushback [1] [2]. Sources show she has platformed and echoed conspiratorial content across venues from social posts to podcasts and drew specific attention for promoting transphobic and defamatory theories about public figures during 2024–25 [3] [4].
1. Election‑fraud claims: the 2020 mail‑in ballots narrative
Owens has posted and repeated claims that “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris CHEATED in the 2020 election with mail‑in ballots,” a narrative that echoes broader, debunked assertions about widespread fraud in 2020; Reuters documents her posting of that formulation and notes its falsehood relative to official findings [1]. Fact‑checking outlets and mainstream reporting place those claims in the same family as other unsupported assertions that were widely circulated after the 2020 vote [1].
2. Amplifying and platforming conspiracy figures inside right‑wing media
Reporting from The Bulwark and Current Affairs portrays Owens as a prolific amplifier who not only pushes conspiratorial claims herself but also gives them oxygen by platforming other conspiracy theorists and provable defamers on her shows and podcasts [2] [4]. That amplification has made her a conduit for fringe narratives inside conservative networks and cultivated a broad online audience receptive to those stories [2].
3. 2024 cycle: from intra‑GOP drama to transphobic fake news
In the 2024 cycle Owens shifted some focus onto intra‑conservative conflicts and sensational personal allegations — notably promoting the claim that France’s first lady Brigitte Macron is transgender and related defamatory material, a transphobic conspiracy that French reporting and later coverage tied to Owens’ podcasting and publication activity [3] [4]. French courts have moved against some spreaders of that falsehood, and international coverage links Owens to promoting that narrative [3].
4. Fallout inside conservative circles: credibility and consequences
Owens’ pattern of promoting conspiracies produced pushback from within the right. The Bulwark outlines how her conspiratorial assertions—particularly in the wake of her attacks on figures like Charlie Kirk and others—have created fractures with former allies and fueled efforts by some conservatives to distance themselves from her [2]. Reporting also connects her controversial statements to tensions at The Daily Wire, culminating in her departure amid months of internal strife [5] [6].
5. Methods: how she spreads conspiracy content
Sources document that Owens uses social media posts, podcasts, and her online show to repeat bold claims and to invite guests who reinforce conspiratorial frames; outlets note the use of sensationalism to build audience engagement and monetization (“ragebait”), which both grows reach and hardens narratives that dissenting evidence has disproven [6] [4]. Fact checks show she sometimes posts quotes or claims that are misattributed or lack supporting evidence [1].
6. What critics and fact‑checkers say — and what’s not in these sources
Critics and fact‑checking outlets cited here label many of Owens’ election‑related claims as false or unsupported and highlight her role in propagating other unfounded charges [1] [2]. Available sources do not mention a comprehensive list of every specific conspiracy she has ever promoted or any formal legal finding that she committed criminal wrongdoing in relation to the 2020 or 2024 elections; they document patterns of misinformation and reputational consequences [2] [1].
7. Why this matters: media ecosystems and political consequence
Journalists and analysts argue that Owens’ activities illustrate how a high‑profile commentator can convert sensational conspiracies into political influence, deepen partisan distrust in electoral outcomes, and provoke intra‑party conflict—dynamics covered by The Independent and The Bulwark that link sensationalism to audience growth and political disruption [6] [2]. Her promotion of election fraud narratives feeds broader erosion of public trust documented by fact‑checkers [1].
Sources used: The Bulwark [2], Reuters fact‑check [1], The Independent [6], Current Affairs [4], Le Monde [3], Wikipedia and auxiliary reporting summaries [5], Indian Express summary [7].