North Carolina’s anti-LGBT Governor still won’t concede the election he lost
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, who cost his state millions with an anti-LGBT law, is gearing up for a lengthy challenge after losing his re-election bid.
North Carolina has lost a string of big investment ventures over Republican Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to sign the contentious HB 2 – which voided all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights, banned transgender people from using their preferred bathroom, and permits businesses to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief.
As the state went to the polls earlier this month, McCrory’s luck appeared to have run out as Democratic rival Roy Cooper took a lead of more than 9,000 votes.
However, Governor McCrory has hired a legal team to file a string of complex challenges in more than half of North Carolina’s counties, in a brazen attempt to get the result overturned due to alleged voting “irregularities”.
Some of the decisions could end up before the Republican-dominated legislature, leading to fears lawmakers may try to return McCrory to office despite the vote.
However the North Carolina’s State Board of Elections dismissed some of his challenges this week, due to a lack of evidence of any voter fraud.
The Democrats have pressed him to concede after the ruling, which quashed many of his county-level challenges.
Trey Nix, the campaign manager for Cooper for NC, said: “This is a devastating blow to the McCrory campaign and further evidence that there is no path to victory for Governor McCrory.
“Roy Cooper’s lead has grown to over 9,000 votes as Republican claims of voter fraud have been routinely rejected by members of their own party. It’s time for Governor McCrory to respect the will of the voters.”
But McCrory has vowed to continue his battle, filing for a statewide recount and continuing to challenge results in individual counties.
Russell Peck, Pat McCrory’s campaign manager, insisted: “With many outstanding votes yet to be counted for the first time, legal challenges, ballot protests and voter fraud allegations, we must keep open the ability to allow the established recount process to ensure every legal vote is counted properly.”
In a separate statement McCrory pinned all his hopes on a bid for a recount.
His spokesperson said: “We are now left with no other position but to request the State Board of Elections expeditiously order a full recount of Durham county early vote totals. Once this occurs, we can all move towards a conclusion of this process”.
The highest-rated comment on McCrory’s public Facebook page says: “You lost. The people have spoken. Can you concede in a manner that will help the new Governor so our state can get moving again?”