• by Ray Schultz , September 22, 2024

Local politicians are slipping by without being fact-checked, judging by a new study by the Duke Reporters’ Lab at the Sanford School of Public Policy.  

For instance, 23 states lack a media outlet that consistently fact-checks political statements. And 31 governors have not had a single statement checked. 

Moreover, 84 senators are not fact-checked by any home state news media. Nor are 402 of our 435 U.S. representatives.  

Overall, the study found “only a small percentage of politicians and public officials were held accountable for the accuracy of what they said.” 

So who is getting fact-checked? They are, according to number of claims checked:

• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds—28 
• Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon—18 
• Cindy Axne—16
• U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin—16 
• Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer—15 
• Donald Trump (relating to local comments)—15
• Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers—15
• Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels—14
• Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake—13 
• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis—12
• Ashley Hinson—12
• Mike Franken—12 
• Paul LePage—12 
• Greg Abbott—11 
• Beta O’Rourke—11

Here are the number of fact checks by title: 

• Governor—130 
• U.S. Representative—96 
• State Legislator—77
• U.S. Senator—61 
• State Attorney General—18 
• Mayor—11 
• President—10 
• Lieutenant Governor—10
• County Official—7 
• State Political Party Chair—6 
• State Secretary of State—4 
• Superintendent of Public Instruction—4 
• National Party Committee Member—4 
• State Treasurer—3
• State Official (other)—3 
• State Surgeon General—2
• State Auditor—2
• National Party Chair—2
• City Council Member—1

The researchers collected URLs of fact-checks posted from Jan. 1, 2022, to Nov. 8, 2022, by the 50 active fact-checkers listed in the global database maintained by the Duke Reporters’ Lab.