President Donald Trump joined some Arizona Republicans in claiming election fraud amid a tight race between Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema for a U.S. Senate seat.
Sent out on Twitter Friday afternoon, Trump said "Just out — in Arizona, SIGNATURES DON’T MATCH. Electoral corruption - Call for a new Election? We must protect our Democracy!"
Just out — in Arizona, SIGNATURES DON’T MATCH. Electoral corruption - Call for a new Election? We must protect our Democracy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2018
The Arizona Republican Party also accused Maricopa County Recorded Adrian Fontes Friday morning of "premeditated destruction of evidence."
My statement on Maricopa County Recorder @Adrian_Fontes pic.twitter.com/UA0w20g44b
— Jonathan W. Lines (@JWLines) November 9, 2018
On Friday morning, Trump also suggested there was something sinister about Democrats adding to their tallies. "Now in Arizona, all of a sudden, out of the wilderness, they find a lot of votes."
The Arizona Republican Party and four of its county affiliates are trying to get a judge to block election officials in Maricopa, Pima, Coconino and Apache counties from counting some late-cast early ballots. Voters in those four counties all were breaking for the Democrat contenders. A hearing is set for Friday afternoon.
Though McSally initially had the lead in early votes, as more votes were counted on Thursday, there was a reversal showing Sinema in the lead.
In Pima County, around 60,000 ballots remain to be counted, and they may not be finished until next Friday.
