Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) indicated on Thursday that he may continue to pursue legal options if a circuit court rules against his request for a full recount on Friday. West’s request, for a full recount of all eight days of early voting in a county in the 18th District, is due to be heard in court on Friday. If the court rules against him, Democrat Patrick Murphy will likely be named the official winner of the race. But West has 10 days after the race is officially called to contest it. On Thursday, he didn’t rule out the prospect of continuing the battle.
“I think that the most important thing is that everyone knows across this county that something happened with those early voting ballots. And if people don’t want to do right by the American people, we will continue to stand and be a voice for them so that their fears and their concerns are still taken care of,” he said.
West engaged in one of the nation’s fiercest campaign fights with Murphy for Florida’s 18th District.
Though Murphy declared victory last weekend and attended orientation events with newly elected lawmakers, West has refused to concede, and his campaign has filed a complaint in court calling for a full recount of all eight days of early voting in St. Lucie County, in Southern Florida.
The St. Lucie County Canvassing Board did recount three days of early voting, due to a machine malfunction, and according to West’s campaign, the voter count subsequently declined by nearly 800 ballots.
That’s enough of a discrepancy, they say, to warrant a full recount of all eight days of early voting.
Full Article: West court battle could last into next year – The Hill.