Biden warns election deniers pose risk, blames Trump By Reuters

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden mentioned on Wednesday that threats by some Republican candidates to refuse to just accept outcomes from the Nov. 8 elections in the event that they lose is a risk to democracy and he blamed former President Donald Trump for uplifting them.

“Make no mistake, democracy is on the poll for all of us,” Biden mentioned in a speech simply days earlier than Individuals determine whether or not Democrats keep management of each the U.S. Senate and Home of Representatives or hand over energy to Republicans.

Biden, talking at Washington’s Union Station not removed from Capitol Hill, used the hammer assault on Paul Pelosi, husband of U.S. Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at their San Francisco residence as proof that democracy is underneath risk lower than two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

“The assailant entered the house asking, ‘The place’s Nancy? The place’s Nancy?’ These had been the exact same phrases utilized by the mob after they stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,” Biden mentioned.

He urged voters to “suppose lengthy and laborious in regards to the second we’re in.”

“As I stand right here at present, there are candidates working for each degree of workplace in America — for governor, for Congress, for legal professional normal, for secretary of state — who received’t decide to accepting the outcomes of the elections they’re in,” he mentioned.

Biden mentioned election deniers have been impressed by Trump, who’s pondering a run for president in 2024 simply as Biden works to determine if he desires to hunt one other four-year time period.

Biden mentioned “American democracy is underneath assault” as a result of Trump won’t settle for the outcomes of the 2020 election that he misplaced to Biden.

“He refuses to just accept the need of the folks, he refuses to just accept that he misplaced,” Biden mentioned.

Biden, who’s engaged in a frenzy of campaigning for Democrats within the waning days earlier than subsequent Tuesday’s midterm elections, is going through the likelihood that Republicans will win management of Congress, which might stymie his agenda.

Most midterm forecasts predict Republicans are virtually sure to take management of the Home, whereas the Senate is a toss-up.

Biden mentioned “the destiny of the nation” lies with the folks, and he struck an optimistic notice in closing his 20-minute speech.

“My fellow Individuals, we’ll meet this second. We simply have to recollect who we’re. We’re america of America. There may be nothing past our capability if we do it collectively,” he mentioned.

Voter fraud is extraordinarily uncommon in America, however a considerable variety of Individuals are involved. A Reuters/Ipsos ballot that concluded on Monday discovered that 49% of Individuals suppose voter fraud is a widespread drawback, with 34% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans holding that view.

Some 44% mentioned they’re involved that the U.S. election is rigged, together with 28% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans.

Regardless of these beliefs, 67% of respondents mentioned they had been assured their very own ballots can be precisely counted, together with broad majorities of Democrats and Republicans.