Washington ExaminerMay 12, 20261 min read

Brad Raffensperger campaign has bomb threat at event location: ‘I will not back down’

The article centers official government sources (Secretary of State's office, Sheriff's office, emergency services) and presents Raffensperger's narrative of principled defiance without scrutiny. Word choice is largely neutral ("confirmed," "determined"), but the framing subtly affirms Raffensperger's self-characterization through his statement about "standing on principle" without exploring whether the threat context or motive is clear. The reference to his 2020 election stance invokes his national profile favorably—presenting refusal of Trump's requests as principled rather than contested.

Primary voices: state or recognized government, elected official

This article does not address the origin or nature of the bomb threat or any investigation into who made it
This article does not include perspectives from opposing candidates or critics of Raffensperger's positions
This article does not contextualize the frequency of bomb threats at political events or whether this event was unusually targeted

Framing may shift if investigation identifies the threat's origin or motive, which could recontextualize the narrative of principled defiance.

Government-sourcedEstablishment framingNeutral language

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) canceled a campaign rally after receiving a bomb threat at the event location.

Raffensperger is running for governor of the Peach State, and his campaign was scheduled to stop at Middle Georgia Regional Airport on Tuesday. The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office confirmed there was a bomb threat at the site.

According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Macon-Bibb Emergency 911 Center received a bomb threat, prompting the authorities to dispatch a bomb squad and K-9 unit that discovered a suspicious object near the airport’s vending machine. The object was determined to be non-threatening. After the bomb squad swept the area, it was determined that there was no further threat, prompting the airport to reopen.

“When you stand on principle, when you do the right thing, when you put people ahead of politics …some folks won’t like it,” Raffensperger said in a statement. “In fact, some people will hate you and want to hurt you. So yes, we are dealing with an active threat. And no, I refuse to back down.”

Raffensperger announced his candidacy in September 2025 to replace incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA), who will end his final term in January 2027. So far, Raffensperger has only hosted one other campaign event in Columbus, Georgia.

The state secretary became a national figure when he refused President Donald Trump’s calls to find missing votes that would turn the 2020 election results.

Brad Raffensperger campaign has bomb threat at event location: ‘I will not back down’

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