Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) revealed what election deniers actually say behind closed doors as a slew of reality-defying candidates run as Republicans in next weeks 2022 midterms.

It was always a lie. The whole thing was always a lie. And it was a lie meant to rile people up, the Texas Republican said of the lie that Donald Trump was cheated by widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election during the latest episode of his Hold These Truths podcast.

Ive talked about this ad nausea, it really made me angry, the former Navy SEAL told election reform advocate Nick Troiano. Because Im like, the promises youre making that youre gonna challenge the Electoral College and overturn the election, theres not even a process for you to do that. It doesnt even exist.

So I was like, What the hell are we doing? And I would tell that to people kinda behind closed doors too. Especially a lot of the rabble-rousers, like the political personalities, not even the politicians, he said.

Crenshaw recalled arguments behind closed doors in the Republican Party before that.

The lawmaker continued:

But even just the others, theyre like, Yeah, we know that, but we just, you know, people just need their last hurrah. Like, they just need to feel like we fought one last time. Trust me, itll be fine. And I was like, No, it wont. Thats not what people believe and thats not what youre telling them. And maybe youre smart enough to know that but like So we have a lot of people in the political world that are just willing to say things they know arent true, they know arent true. Its a huge manipulation.

Crenshaw, in the aftermath of the 2020 election, supported a Texas lawsuit that challenged Trumps defeat, but hes now a fierce critic of those who falsely claim Trump was the election winner.

Listen to Crenshaws comments from the 18-minute mark here: