President Donald Trump predicted a “hotly contested” Ohio governor’s race in 2022 after Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine acknowledged Joe Biden as president-elect.
“Who will be running for Governor of the Great State of Ohio? Will be hotly contested!” Trump tweeted Monday morning.
Who will be running for Governor of the Great State of Ohio? Will be hotly contested!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2020
In addition to recognizing Biden’s status, DeWine also called for the transition process to begin during a Sunday morning appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“The president has every right to go into court, every right to bring any kind of evidence that he has,” DeWine told CNN anchor Jake Tapper. “And no one should begrudge him that or say that there is anything irregular about that. On the other hand, it’s clear that, certainly, based on what we know now, that Joe Biden is the president-elect, and that transition, for the country’s sake, it’s important for a normal transition to start through.”
DeWine, a former senator, was supported by Trump when he narrowly won Ohio’s governorship in 2018.
The Associated Press, Fox News and other major networks have acknowledged Biden as president-elect with 306 projected electoral votes, but Trump has so far refused to concede or allow a formal transition process to begin. Instead, his campaign has filed multiple lawsuits alleging ballot irregularities. (RELATED: Kevin McCarthy: Republicans May ‘Run The Floor’ In The House)
While Trump did acknowledge that Biden “won” the election in a Sunday morning tweet, he contended that the election was “rigged,” then followed that up with another tweet saying he “concedes nothing.”