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Biden campaign says there is ‘no scenario’ where Trump can be declared winner on Election Day

The campaign issued the statement during a livestream on Monday

Graig Graziosi
Monday 02 November 2020 20:43 GMT
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Jen O’Malley Dillon, the campaign manager for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, said that “under no scenario will Donald Trump be declared victor on election night.” 

Ms Dillon made the comments during a livestream the campaign hosted on Monday. 

The stream outlined election security issues, Mr Biden’s various pathways to victory on Tuesday, and emphasised Mr Trump’s forecasted intention to declare himself the victor of the election before all the ballots have been counted. 

Ms Dillion said Mr Trump’s demands that votes received after midnight on Election Day should be thrown out is the president just making things up. 

Bob Bauer, Mr Biden's campaign adviser, also appeared on the livestream to address voter concerns over ballot security and potential irregularities. 

Mr Bauer discussed early and absentee voting and explained the purpose of nonpartisan election monitors that have been assigned to watch polling places across the country.  

He said Mr Trump has been "exhibiting increasing levels of desperation in recent days," and warned viewers to ignore any attempt by the president to declare victory on Tuesday night before the vote totals have been reported.  

Mr Bauer also urged voters not to be intimidated by reports of Trump supporters harassing Biden voters. He referenced scenes in New York, New Jersey and Texas where caravans of Trump supporters used their vehicles to block major roadways and - in one instance - rammed Biden supporters while trying to force a bus full of Biden personnel off the highway.  

He said that incidents like that were few and far between, and that law enforcement officials were investigating the encounters.  

However, police in Texas, New York and New Jersey have been criticised for not acting quicker to bring the Trump caravans to heel. Democratic supporters have accused the police of having double standards, as Trump supporters appeared to have no opposition while flagrantly violating the law, while police in North Carolina pepper sprayed a peaceful march to the polls that was made up of families and children in Halloween costumes.  

On Monday, Mr Trump tweeted his support for the caravan drivers and expressed his anger with the FBI for launching a probe into their voter intimidation stunt. He said the FBI should be investigating "anarchists and agitators of ANTIFA."

Mr Bauer said that he was aware that Mr Trump was likely plotting a legal challenge to the election results, but said it would be a "case that Trump can't win."

"Trump is focused on his lawyers, not his voters," Mr Bauer said. "We're prepared for legal hijinks of one kind or another, we're not worried about it."

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