Ga. to prez: Yup, you lost, recount makes it official
The numbers reflect the verdict of the people, not a decision by the secretary of state’s office or of courts or of either campaign. BRAD RAFFENSPERGER
GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE
Georgia’s governor and top elections official certified Joe Biden’s historic victory in the traditionally deep-red state on Friday, dealing a major blow to President Trump’s desperate attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said he made Biden’s win official after a meticulous hand recount of the vote affirmed that the Democrat’s razor-thin lead over Trump was “true and correct.”
“I live by the motto that numbers don’t lie,” said Raffensperger, who has become a political punching bag for Trump-loyal Republicans who are defending the president’s unprecedented refusal to concede the election. “The numbers reflect the verdict of the people, not a decision by the secretary of state’s office or of courts or of either campaign.”
The hand count, which took place over the course of this week, confirmed Biden won the state by more than 12,000 votes out of about 5 million cast, according to data from Raffensperger’s office. Biden is the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp later in the day signed off on Raffensperger’s certification by officially approving the 16 presidential electors who will represent the state when the Electoral College meets Dec. 14.
Kemp, a longtime Trump ally, sought to stay in Trump’s good graces by stressing that he was required by law to put Biden’s victory in the books in light of Raffensperger’s move.
“State law now requires the governor’s office to formalize the certification, which paves the way for the Trump campaign to pursue other legal options in a separate recount if they choose,” Kemp said.
Trump’s campaign has the opportunity to request another recount in Georgia due to the tight margin. That request must be filed within two business days of certification.
Trump, who insists without evidence that Democrats rigged the Nov. 3 election against him, unsuccessfully tried to put public pressure on Kemp and Raffensperger to refrain from certifying the results. “Governor Kemp will hopefully see the light before it is too late. Must finally take charge!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.
Beyond Georgia, Trump has asked GOP legislators from Michigan and other Biden-won battleground states to ignore the will of the voters and certify him as the winner. The undemocratic proposal has prompted bipartisan criticism and comes on the heels of courts in several states rejecting Trump campaign lawsuits to throw out millions of votes.
Raffensperger described himself as a “proud Trump supporter,” but said certifying Biden’s victory is a decision that should transcend politics.
“Like other Republicans, I’m disappointed our candidate didn’t win,” Raffensperger said. “[But] as secretary of state, I believe that the numbers we present today are correct.”
The Georgia win awards Biden 16 Electoral College votes.
That puts Biden’s total Electoral College count at 306 while Trump trails far behind with 232.
Biden ultimately didn’t need Georgia to win the presidency, as only 270 Electoral College votes are required to clinch the election, but the Peach State prize expands his margin and makes Trump’s various legal and technical efforts to overturn the election all but impossible.