Trump lashes out at Republicans who won’t get behind ‘rigged election’ claims
WITH two days to go until the third and final debate, Donald Trump is lashing out at Republicans who won’t get behind his “rigged” election claims.
WITH two days to go until the third and final debate, Donald Trump isn’t backing down from preaching his message that the US presidential election is “rigged”.
The Republican candidate maintains he expects widespread voter fraud in the November 8 election, ramping up his warning despite being yet to provide any evidence that the electoral system is anything other than sound.
Trump continued to spread his theory of a flawed election process over the weekend, mentioning the alleged “rigging” more than 20 times in 48 hours, ABC News reports.
“Instead of being held accountable, Hillary [Clinton] is running for president in what looks like a rigged election,” he said on Saturday at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
“It looks to me like a rigged election. The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing complete false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect Hillary Clinton president.”
Trump questioned the legitimacy of the election process again in a series of tweets on Monday, hitting out at Republican leaders who won’t get behind him.
“Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!” he tweeted.
Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016
An earlier tweet said: “The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary — but also at many polling places — SAD.”
The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places - SAD
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2016
GOP vice presidential candidate Mike Pence seemed to take a different approach to the claims of “rigging”, saying Trump “will absolutely accept the results of the election” next month.
“One of the great, great traditions of America is the peaceful transfer of power,” he said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
“Elections get rough. I expect they’re going to stay just as rough as they are right now going into November 8. The stakes are so high in this election.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan released a statement over the weekend reiterating that he is confident the election will not be fixed.
“Our democracy relies on confidence in election results, and the speaker is fully confident the states will carry out this election with integrity,” Ryan’s press secretary, Ashlee Strong, said in an email.
Trump’s campaign manager also tried to reshape his comments about voter fraud and media bias.
“If there is compelling evidence of voter fraud ... certainly we would take action,” Kellyanne Conway said last week.
The latest polls suggest Trump is losing ground in some key battleground states against rival Hillary Clinton, CNN reports.
Clinton’s campaign reacted to Trump’s allegations of fraud over the weekend, accusing Trump of trying to “undermine” the contest.
“This election will have record turnout, because voters see through Donald Trump’s shameful attempts to undermine an election weeks before it happens,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said.
“Campaigns should be hard-fought and elections hard-won, but what is fundamental about the American electoral system is that it is free, fair and open to the people,” he added. “Participation in the system — and particularly voting — should be encouraged, not dismissed or undermined because a candidate is afraid he’s going to lose.”
Several studies have shown that voter fraud in US elections is rare, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. In a report titled The Truth About Voter Fraud, the centre cited voter fraud incident rates between 0.00004 per cent and 0.0009 per cent.
An August study by The Washington Post found 31 credible cases of impersonation fraud out of more than one billion votes cast in elections from 2000 to 2014. Arizona State University studies in 2012 and 2016 found similarly low rates.
Trump has ramped up his claims of a rigged election after the release of the 2005 Access Hollywood tape two weeks ago.
“Can’t believe these totally phony stories, 100% made up by women (many already proven false) and pushed big time by press, have impact!” Trump tweeted Monday.
The real estate mogul has been making campaign stops in battleground states Florida and North Carolina in recent days and travels to Wisconsin and Colorado this week, while Clinton continues to do debate preparation.
Both candidates will face off Wednesday night (Thursday AEST) in Las Vegas at the third and final presidential debate.
— With wires
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