Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, stated this week that “under no scenario” could President Donald Trump be declared the victor on election night.
“It was reported yesterday that President Trump believes that if he wins the East Coast battleground states, Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia, he plans to go out and declare victory,” O’Malley Dillon said on Monday. “We want to be clear with you: If he tries to do that, that will not be true. Under no scenario will Donald Trump be declared a victor on election night.”
Trump, however denied rumors that he plans to declare victory on election night, but did say that he would legally go after counties that reported their results late.
“We’re going in the night of,” Trump said on Sunday. “As soon as the election is over, we’re going in with our lawyers.”
Even if Trump did decide to declare victory, this would not be abnormal.
The winner is typically declared before the final results are certified — usually by a major media organization (or several) — as long as the margin of victory is wide enough.
If either candidate wins by a landslide, it would be normal to expect the other side to concede.
Biden’s campaign, however, has already ruled out that possibility.
Dillon claimed Biden has many more paths to victory than Trump does, and cited multiple polls that show Biden ahead.
Several polls this week though show the race in key battleground states narrowing.
If Trump does win, Biden is being encouraged not to accept the results.
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton argued this summer that Biden “should not concede under any circumstances,” because many of the key races are “going to drag out” due to delays.
“Eventually, I do believe he will win if we don’t give an inch and if we are as focused and relentless as the other side is,” she said.
