WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — In the days following former Vice President Joe Biden's projected win—which all major media outlets called after Biden won Pennsylvania on Saturday, surpassing the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win the presidency—President Donald Trump has not accepted the results of the election and conceded the race.
Instead, Trump is claiming without evidence that there has been a widespread, multi-state conspiracy by Democrats to skew the vote tally in Biden’s favor.
Some Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are backing Trump's efforts to fight the election results. Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal prosecutors across the U.S. to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities, if they exist, before the 2020 presidential election is certified, despite no evidence of widespread fraud.
Biden holds a sizable lead in multiple battleground states and there has been no indication of enough improperly counted or illegally cast votes that would shift the outcome. In fact, election officials from both political parties have publicly stated the election went well, though there have been minor issues that are typical in elections, including voting machines breaking and ballots that were miscast and lost.
While Trump has a right to file legal challenges, Democratic leaders like Minority Leader Chuck Schumer argue Trump and Republicans' refusal to accept the results of the election are "extremely dangerous, extremely poisonous to our democracy."
"Joe Biden won the election fair and square," Schumer said.
Maine Independent Sen. Angus King, similarly, said Tuesday in a tweet, "Each day President Trump continues to manufacture claims of fraud, more Americans lose faith in our elections – the backbone of our system."
King continued to say, "If the Trump campaign has evidence of widespread wrongdoing, they should show it. If not, the President should concede."
In a press conference on Tuesday, Biden said Trump's refusal to accept the results of the election is "an embarrassment." He said, "it will not help the president's legacy."
King also voiced his criticisms of Trump's denial and subsequent post-election turmoil on Monday after Trump fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper via Twitter. King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the transition period is an especially vital time for the nation’s defense to remain stable.
“This is no time for sour grapes; it’s time for America’s top civilian officials to put the good of the country first," King said.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins called the firing "ill-timed and unwise."
On Monday, Collins, congratulated Biden while also emphasizing the importance of respecting the election process. Collins, who was endorsed in her re-election bid by Trump, said, "There is a process in place to challenge those results and, consistent with that process, the President should be afforded the opportunity to do so."
"Presidential transitions are important, and the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect should be given every opportunity to ensure that they are ready to govern on January 20," Collins said.
Biden said some Republicans’ denial of his victory “is not at much consequence in our plan and what we’re able to do between now and Jan. 20.”
Asked by a reporter what he would say to Trump, Biden said, “Mr. President, looking forward to speaking with you.”
States have until Dec. 8 to resolve election disputes, including recounts and court contests over the results. Members of the Electoral College meet on Dec. 14 to finalize the outcome of the election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.