Here’s what prominent Fresno Republicans had to say about Biden, Trump election outcome
Top Fresno-area Republicans are waiting for the outcome of legal challenges and potential election investigations before declaring Joe Biden as president-elect, echoing President Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud and challenges to vote counts.
Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig said Monday this election is a “head-scratcher” for him, and Fresno County Republican Chair Fred Vanderhoof said he believes Trump won the “legal votes” by a wide margin.
Trump’s campaign filed roughly a dozen lawsuits in five closely contested states that broke toward Biden as early and absentee votes were counted, primarily in Pennsylvania, which was called for the Democratic candidate on Saturday and secured his election.
If Trump were to win every lawsuit he has filed since the election, it would not be enough to reverse Biden’s lead in the states that have put him over the top in the Electoral College, according to a McClatchy analysis of the lawsuits.
Both Magsig and Vanderhoof looked back to the 2000 presidential election, noting the outcome wasn’t confirmed for more than a month after the election.
“The national media is stacking the deck in favor of Biden,” Vanderhoof said. “We encourage everyone to let the legal process take its course.”
Magsig said it was highly irregular and confusing that Republicans made gains in the House of Representatives and had a solid showing in the Senate, yet the party lost the presidency. However, he didn’t think it was a referendum on Trump.
“I don’t think this election cycle could be a referendum on the president himself,” Magsig said. “There were so many new groups that supported him.”
Ray Appleton, a talk show host on KMJ 580, wondered on his show Monday if voters were fed up with the angst and division coming from the White House.
“They’re tired of Donald Trump,” Appleton said of voters. “He is his own worst enemy.”
He also pondered the other down-ticket wins for Republicans in the Senate and House. “A lot of this doesn’t pass the smell test,” he said.
Appleton also acknowledged the possibility that Biden really did win fairly.
Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld spent the weekend retweeting claims of election fraud, including one from Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo that Twitter flagged as disputed.
Both Magsig and Vanderhoof called for investigations into election fraud.
Vanderhoof said voter fraud is a deep-seated issue that the local Republican party has tackled for decades.
“As sunlight is shone on the process, the truth will be known,” Magsig said.
Democratic reaction
Ruben Zarate, the chair of the Fresno County Democratic Party, said even if there were recounts in some states, the margin of error would be too slim to change the results.
“There’s nothing to substantiate their claims,” he said about the Republicans. “We simply won.”
McClatchy DC contributed to this story.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 4:10 PM.