It was a battle of narrative, as always, between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on Thursday in the United States. With counting still on in several states, the results of the election hinge on counting in Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
With Trump's lead over Biden in some of these states significantly narrowing since mail-in votes started being counted after Election Day, the President has called on the counting of votes to "stop" and has announced he would legally challenge the results in states Biden claimed after Election Day (which include Michigan and Wisconsin). Trump is contesting the counts in Nevada, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
"All of the recent Biden claimed States will be legally challenged by us for Voter Fraud and State Election Fraud. Plenty of proof - just check out the Media. WE WILL WIN! America First!" Trump tweeted on Thursday.
All of the recent Biden claimed States will be legally challenged by us for Voter Fraud and State Election Fraud. Plenty of proof - just check out the Media. WE WILL WIN! America First!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2020
In a press conference, Trump's campaign manager declared that Donald Trump was "alive and well" and stated their confidence that Trump would win his election. In addition, they will be filing additional lawsuits.
In the battleground states key to determining the winner of the election, Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania, the Trump campaign filed lawsuits on Wednesday over mail ballot handling, while in Wisconsin the Trump team requested a recount.
The Trump campaign said the president would formally request a Wisconsin recount, citing "irregularities in several Wisconsin counties".
Incomplete results indicate the margin between Trump and Biden in Wisconsin is less than one percentage point, which allows a candidate to seek a recount.
The Trump campaign also filed a lawsuit in Michigan to stop counting there because it contended it had been denied "meaningful access" to observe the opening of ballots and the tally.
His campaign asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the ballot counting in Pennsylvania, according to US media reports.
Team Biden, meanwhile, said that the lawsuits filed by Trump so far had no merit, having earlier said that they were "doomed to fail". "They are distractions designed to disrupt", Biden's campaign manager and lawyer Bob Bauer said.
“This is part of a broader misinformation campaign that involves some political theater,” he said, adding that the intent was to "create a large cloud that...it is the hope of the Trump campaign...nobody can see through." He added, “But it is not a very thick cloud. It’s not hard to see what they’re doing. We see through it. So will the courts, and so do election officials.”
Bauer said Biden's team was "absolutely confident" of victory.
Trump's lead in Pennsylvania has significantly reduced over the night as more mail-in votes (expected to favour the Democrats) are counted. If Biden takes Pennsylvania, he will win the election. He can also win if he secures his victory in Arizona (which AP has already called for him) and then captures either Georgia or Nevada.
Trump, on the other hand, will need Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, and either Arizona or Nevada in order to win.
Trump wins first legal battle in Pennsylvania
Trump on Thursday scored the first legal battle in Pennsylvania wherein an appellate judge has ordered that poll watchers must be allowed within six feet of counting of votes.
"Big legal win in Pennsylvania," Trump said in a tweet soon after the court gave the ruling.
Trump Campaign Manager Bill Stepien told reporters during a conference call that the court ruling would allow them to review the counting that has already occurred as well.
"As a result of this incredible legal victory, the lower court's order has been reversed. Now, according to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 'all candidates, watchers, or candidate representatives' shall 'be permitted to be present for the canvassing process' and 'be permitted to observe all aspects of the canvassing process within 6 feet, while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols, including, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing," said Justin Clark, the Deputy Manager of the Trump Campaign.
In a major victory for election integrity, election transparency, all Pennsylvania voters, and the rule of law, the Trump Campaign has prevailed in our suit challenging our Republican poll watchers' complete lack of any meaningful access to the ballot processing and counting process, he said.
Earlier, the Trump Campaign had reached out to court demanding that counting of votes be halted until courts can enforce rules that permit campaign observers to watch the ballots being opened and counted.
The Trump Campaign had alleged that its poll watchers were being denied close up access to observe counting of votes.
"The eyes of the country are on Pennsylvania, but Pennsylvania Democrats, led by their radical left Secretary of State whose only goal is to steal this election from President Trump, has kept eyes off of the absentee ballot counting process. That ends now in Philadelphia, Clark alleged.
"For the good of the nation, every Pennsylvania county should follow the lead of this judge and provide access for observers to ensure transparency and integrity in Pennsylvania. That is the only way to ensure a fair, transparent election in which all Pennsylvania voters can have confidence their vote will count," he said.
As per the latest report, with 91 per cent of the voting, Trump has garnered 50.4 per cent of the total votes counted and his Democratic rival Joe Biden has 48.3 per cent of the votes. Trump's lead is 135,626 votes, which has dropped considerably in the last few rounds of counting.
Trump had a lead of 400,000 on Wednesday.
With inputs from PTI
