RALEIGH, N.C. – Republican incumbent Pat McCrory keeps rejecting calls by Democrats to concede in the close race for North Carolina governor even as Roy Cooper’s lead in unofficial results has nearly doubled since election night.
McCrory told The Associated Press on Wednesday in Greenville that he’s in what might be the state’s closest gubernatorial election ever. He says he’s “going to respect the process and respect the results” and expects others to do the same.
He says the process could include recounting more than 90,000 Durham County ballots. The State Board of Elections takes up later Wednesday a hand-recount requested by a Republican attorney.
The Durham elections board already rejected that request, but McCrory’s campaign emailed supporters urging them to contact the board and say they want the recount.
The latest numbers show Cooper leading by 10,329 ballots. McCrory can get a statewide recount if the lead is 10,000 votes or less. But six counties still need to report.
Graham, Cleveland, Person, Bladen, Lenoir, and Craven have yet to finalize their results.
Cooper campaign issued a statement that read in part:
“Game over. It’s time for Governor McCrory to concede. It’s clear there is no path to victory for Governor McCrory.”
