FRANKFORT, Ky. — Sen. Mitch McConnell refused to answer questions Friday about President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claims Thursday night that Democrats are attempting to steal the presidential election.
On Twitter Friday morning, McConnell punted on condemning Trump's comments, saying instead that determining the validity of ballots was up to the courts.
"Every legal vote should be counted. Any illegally-submitted ballots must not," McConnell said. "All sides must get to observe the process. And the courts are here to apply the laws & resolve disputes."
When asked about Trump's comments, McConnell referred to the tweet. When asked what he will do if the president refuses to accept the outcome of the election, McConnell said he was "not going to answer any hypotheticals about where we go from here."
When asked if he's seen any evidence of voter fraud the President referenced, McConnell would not answer.
"I have told you, I have sent out what I want to say today about the situation in the tweet that you all have," McConnell said.
Throughout Trump's presidency, McConnell has repeatedly refused to comment on some of the president's more controversial statements and actions, saying he would not "provide a running commentary" on Trump because he was more focused on policy outcomes.
McConnell has already said this week that it is not unusual for elections to be decided by the courts and that he expected the courts would resolve any disputes between Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.
"The courts will decide disputes," McConnell said Wednesday. "That's the way we do it in this country. Having close disputed elections is not unusual, it happens all the time."
Trump's claims Thursday night came before vote totals showed Biden leading in both Georgia and Pennsylvania, two states that would give him a majority of votes in the electoral college. Other Republicans quickly denounced the president's statements as irresponsible.
This isn't the first time McConnell has been asked about unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Last year, after former Gov. Matt Bevin made unsubstantiated claims of "irregularities" in the gubernatorial election — which he lost by more than 5,000 votes — McConnell distanced himself from Bevin's claims and said it appeared Bevin lost.
He would not do the same with Trump, but he did reiterate that he believes there will be a peaceful transition of power in January, regardless of the outcome of the election.
"We've had a peaceful transition of power going back to 1792," McConnell said.
It is still uncertain whether McConnell will maintain his position as Senate leader in the next Congress. After Tuesday's election, Democrats control 48 seats and Republicans control 48 states, while races in North Carolina and Alaska are too close to call. There will be two runoffs in Georgia that will determine which party gains control.
McConnell would not talk about his relationship with Biden, saying once again he didn't want to deal in hypotheticals.
