SC’s McMaster, Haley and Sanford speak out after Trump’s baseless voter fraud claims
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and his predecessors, Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford, spoke out days after the election as Democratic nominee Joe Biden inched closer to securing more electoral votes and as President Donald Trump continued to push a baseless narrative that the election is being swayed by rampant voter fraud.
McMaster, a staunch ally of Trump and the first statewide elected official to endorse Trump, said in a statement Friday that the law is clear on counting votes.
“All legal votes must be counted, and all illegal or fraudulent votes discarded,” McMaster said. “President Trump has a right — and a duty — to see that this happens. I entirely support his efforts to ensure that the law is followed and enforced to the letter. It is only through accuracy and transparency that the American people can have confidence in this election.”
It echoed a similar statement from Haley, who served in the Trump administration until late 2018 as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
“We all owe @realDonaldTrump for his leadership of conservative victories for Senate, House, & state legislatures,” Haley, seen as a possible 2024 presidential contender, tweeted. “He and the American people deserve transparency & fairness as the votes are counted. The law must be followed. We have to keep the faith that the truth will prevail.”
But former Republican Gov. Sanford, who launched a brief presidential campaign last year against Trump, condemned the president.
“Given the reckless comments by the president last night on ending the counting of votes, it’s vital all of us as Republican’s speak up in condemning this notion,” Sanford tweeted. “Every vote counts. Our institutions and democratic traditions are the glue that has held us together for 244 years.”
Sanford has clashed with Trump in the past.
In 2018, Sanford lost the primary for his U.S. House seat after Trump endorsed his challenger Katie Arrington. When Sanford announced his run as a potential Republican candidate for president in 2019, Trump tweeted about the former governor’s notorious affair with a woman in Argentina when he claimed to be hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Since Tuesday, as states across the country continued to count ballots, Trump has called for specific battle ground states to stop counting votes, while he has pushed for recounts in other states where he appeared to be losing, including Michigan.
“If you count the legal votes I easily win. If you count the illegal votes they can try to steal the election from us,” Trump told reporters at a Wednesday briefing.
Several Republican lawmakers across the country have chimed in, with their responses ranging from calls for patience as the votes are counted or chides of Trump for his unfounded claims. Republicans who spoke out include U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Will Hurd of Texas and Paul Mitchell of Michigan, U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake.
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 11:52 AM.
