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Three days after the election, votes are still being tallied in
the closely fought battleground states of Pennsylvania, Nevada,
Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina. Democratic presidential
candidate Joe Biden is riding an expanding lead over Trump, a
Republican, that could bring him victory.
Amid Trump's repeated and unfounded allegations of election
fraud, Senator Roy Blunt, a member of the Republican leadership,
told reporters that "at some point" the White House will have to
be able to take such allegations to court and lay out the
evidence.
"I also don't think it's unreasonable for... Biden to accept the
unofficial result and do whatever he thinks he should do," Blunt
added.
That unofficial result could come as early as Friday, with Biden
planning an address to the nation in the evening.
Throughout his campaign, Biden said he would work to heal the
deep political divisions plaguing the United States. That work
could be impeded if Trump convinces at least part of the country
that Biden's win was illegitimate.
Some 30% of Republicans accept Trump's claim that he won the
election, though a bipartisan majority of Americans do not,
according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Thursday.
Trump on Thursday said in a White House statement: "If you count
the legal votes I easily win." Without presenting evidence, he
accused Democrats of "trying to steal an election."
Some senior Republicans voiced support for the president's
claims. House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
said on Fox News: "President Trump won this election. So
everyone who's listening, do not be quiet."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, an avid
Trump supporter, told Fox News that he was prepared to donate
$500,000 to Trump's legal efforts in multiple states.
The Republican National Committee is aiming to raise at least
$60 million to help finance Trump's legal battles, sources told
Reuters.
But other Republicans in Congress were not as excited about a
drawn-out battle and its toll on America if it becomes clear
that Biden won the election fair and square.
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, which Trump won handily on Tuesday,
echoed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in urging that
ballots be counted in accordance with each state's laws.
"I hope we can reach a final resolution as quickly as possible,"
he said in a statement.
Senator Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate,
knows the agony that can come with defeat. But he castigated
Trump for claiming the election was being stolen.
"Doing so damages the cause of freedom here and around the
world... and recklessly inflames destructive and dangerous
passions," Romney said on Twitter.
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