President Donald Trump urged Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams to accept defeat and concede the race to Republican Brian Kemp in a Friday tweet aboard Air Force One en route to Paris.
.@BrianKempGA ran a great race in Georgia – he won. It is time to move on!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018
Kemp currently holds approximately 50.3 percent of the vote with Abrams 48.7 percent. Abrams, however, refuses to concede the race contending that when the final vote tally is in, it will show Kemp below 50 percent of the vote.
Georgia law requires that if neither candidate holds a definitive majority, a runoff election in December is required.
Jessica McGowan/Getty Images and Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
“Across our state, folks are opening up the dreams of voters in absentee ballots, and we believe our chance for a stronger Georgia is just within reach,” Abrams said Wednesday as her campaign legally maneuvers to count more absentee ballots.
Kemp, by contrast, has declared that there aren’t enough votes to be counted that would make a difference in the campaign and is accusing Abrams of trying to steal the election.
Trump later tweeted sarcastically about the ongoing election disputes in Georgia and Florida:
You mean they are just now finding votes in Florida and Georgia – but the Election was on Tuesday? Let’s blame the Russians and demand an immediate apology from President Putin!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018