Graham vows GOP will accept election results after Trump comments

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Thursday morning that Republicans would accept any clear electoral result in November or a Supreme Court decision if the results were unclear.

Graham joined the ranks of Republicans promising a fair and peaceful election after comments made by President Trump at a press briefing Wednesday, where Trump refused to commit to leave office should Democratic presidential nominee win the election.

“People wonder about the peaceful transfer of power. I can assure you, it will be peaceful,” Graham said on “Fox & Friends.” “Now, we may have litigation about who won the election, but the court will decide and if the Republicans lose, we will accept that result. But we need a full court.”

On Fox & Friends, Sen. Lindsey Graham assures viewers that any transfer of power “will be peaceful,” and if the 2020 election results are in doubt, “the court will decide and if the Republicans lose, we will accept that result. But we need a full court.” pic.twitter.com/bee9IrCjEd

— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) September 24, 2020

Graham’s comments echoed those of other top Republicans including House Republican Caucus Chairwoman Liz Cheney (Wyo.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), who both promised a peaceful transition of power should the GOP lose the White House in tweets Thursday morning.

Trump had declined to make such a promise when questioned by a reporter, instead saying “we’ll see what happens.”

“Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation,” Trump said. “The ballots are out of control. You know it, and you know who knows it better than anyone else? The Democrats know it better than anyone else.”

Graham’s remarks also indicated that Republicans may use the issue of unclear election results in November as a potential motivation to push for the nomination of a Supreme Court justice before November, a prospect Democrats are opposed to but may be unable to stop in the Senate.

Trump has said that on Saturday he will announce his nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday.