On November seventh the Associated Press called the 2020 General Election in favor of Joe Biden, with 290 Electoral votes and President Trump getting 232 Electoral votes. The Washington Post concluded the results at 306 votes for Joe Biden. Both reports show a clear lead for the Biden campaign. These results were determined after several days of vote recounts and delayed results in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alaska, and Nevada.
Though President Trump and many of his populous supporters refused to acknowledge the results of this race, a number of governmental officials, Democrat legislators, and a growing number of Republican
legislators have urged Trump to accept the results. Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton
came out saying “I think it’s very important for leaders of the Republican Party to explain to our voters — who are not as stupid as the Democrats think — that, in fact, Trump has lost the election and that his claims of election fraud are baseless”.
The General Services Administration (GSA) has yet to call this race. Their formal recognition is needed for
the transition process to commence; a process that takes several months, an extensive budget, and an impressive exchange of information. The Biden administration has committed to taking legal action if the GSA does not acknowledge the race results in the upcoming week. Emily Murphy, the primary GSA administrator and Trump appointee, has a reputation for being a “diligent professional” according to the New York Times, and is expected to follow nonpartisan precedent. The delayed recognition is likely due to “the precedent established after the 2000 election, when court battles over the Florida recount delayed the transition by several weeks.” according to CBS.
Since the initial announcement, President Trump has conceded that the election was “won” by Biden,
adding “He won because the Election was Rigged,”. A number of lawsuits in state and federal court, as well as calls for recounts have resulted from this allegation. Despite these accusations, the Biden-Harris
Transition Team plans to continue with the transition of power as planned, resorting to legal pursuit if
necessary. The White House Counsel has committed to upholding this peaceful precedent and aiding Biden in his transition. It is yet unclear whether the Trump Administration itself will commit to a peaceful transfer of power. Prior to the election President Trump alluded to an unwillingness to leave power in statements and tweets.
In September during a press conference the President was asked if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the election. Trump responded saying, “Well, we’re gonna have to see what happens”, adding, “Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a peaceful—there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation.”
For more information on the election, go to the Waltonian’s centerspread for an in-depth analysis of the
race results and repercussions.
Sources: Fox News, Washington Post, Associated Press, Time, CNN.