Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said Thursday “we need to consider the former vice president as the President-elect.”
JUST NOW: "Joe Biden is the President-elect."
Those words from Republican @GovMikeDeWine of Ohio.
@NewDay pic.twitter.com/SUUpC43Hou
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) November 12, 2020
The move to endorse Joe Biden’s media-declared victory is not a surprise. Ohio GOP leaders talked with The Ohio Star about the governor’s comments and the ongoing election controversies.
Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted said, “I was co-chair of the Trump-Pence campaign and I’m proud we won Ohio by eight points.” Husted continued “As a former Secretary of State, I understand the importance of election integrity and when the states certify the election, I know my friend Donald Trump will honor the outcome.”
Former Congressman and Chairman of Ohio’s Future Foundation Jim Renacci said, “I do believe that elections aren’t certified until December. And until December we need to let the election process play out.” Renacci also said that DeWine’s support should be stronger.
“DeWine needs to remember that without Trump’s visit to Ohio the night before the Gubernatorial election, we may not have a Governor DeWine,” he continued. “He spent $35 million and won by three percent, so clearly he got a Trump boost.”
Ohio state Representative Kris Jordan (R-Ostrander) refuses to call Biden President-elect.
“He’s not the President-elect until the Electoral College determines that to be the case,” he said. “With so many questions about voter fraud, rigged voter machines and other irregularities, under no circumstance should Trump concede. Nor do I consider Biden our president.”
Eight states have passed their election certification dates and Friday is the official day for Mississippi. Of the nine states, seven of them are showing a higher vote count for President Donald J. Trump.
On Friday, Georgia Secretary of State declared a hand recount of all votes in Georgia. Speculation is high that Trump will work for a recount in Wisconsin – a battleground state offering 10 electoral votes with a 20,000-vote difference between the Presidential candidates.
Several court cases in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona are still open.
One of the cases in Pennsylvania was decided Thursday when Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt ruled that Pennsylvania Secretary Kathy Boockvar had no authority to extend a deadline for voters to prove their identities. The decision means the votes in question will not be counted, although they had yet to be added to the vote totals in Pennsylvania, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Star contacted Governor DeWine for additional comment – specifically asking why he encouraged others to call Biden President-Elect, given that several states have not certified their results and the existence of several lawsuits in key states. Through Dan Tierney, the governor’s press secretary, DeWine said stated:
I congratulate Vice-President Biden. It would appear that President Trump’s legal team will be filing legal actions. The President’s lawyers have every right to present evidence in court on any legal issues or irregularities involving the election, and the courts are the proper place to hear evidence on these issues. When lawsuits have concluded and election results are certified, it is important for all Americans to honor the outcome.
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Jack Windsor is Managing Editor at both The Ohio Star and The Michigan Star. Windsor is also an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV and The Virginia Star. Follow Jack on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
