Amid Tense Recount, Florida Republican Poses As US Senator-elect

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Nov, 2018 ) :Florida's Rick Scott remains locked in a recount battle in his too-close-to-call US Senate race, but that did not stop him from posing for photographs Wednesday alongside Republican senators-elect in Washington.

"We're here this morning to welcome our six new Republican senators," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared as he stood in his office alongside Scott and the five Republican senators-elect who will be sworn in on January 3.

The provocative appearance at the traditional photo-op by Scott, the outgoing governor of Florida, appeared to defy the standard that those in attendance are the declared winners of their races.

Scott holds a narrow lead over incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in Florida but has not been declared the official winner by any state authority or major news organizations that monitor the vote.

The Senate race and the battle for governor were both extremely close, and are undergoing legally mandated recounts.

Scott and President Donald Trump have repeatedly accused Democratic county officials of vote fraud without clear evidence. Democrats counter that some counties, notably Broward County, have taken extra time to ensure that all votes are accurately counted.

On Wednesday, the Miami Herald reported, Scott's lawyer said the governor would recuse himself from any duties related to certifying the results of his Senate race, something Nelson had demanded for days.

McConnell and other Republicans were nonchalant about Scott's presence in the Capitol.

"No, I think it was fine," said Senator David Perdue.

"He's not sworn in yet. This was just part of our caucus," he added, referring to the post-photo-op meeting, attended by Scott, in which GOP senators elected their leadership for the next two years.

With the Senate back in session after a month-long break for the midterm elections, Nelson too was in Washington for legislative business.

On Tuesday he accused Scott of "using his power as governor to try to undermine the voting process."The Senate's top Democrat Chuck Schumer joined in the condemnation on Wednesday, saying Republicans were seeking to "shut down the election" before all votes are counted.

"It is unconstitutional to say every vote should count in rural counties because they can count quickly but every vote shouldn't count in the more urban populated counties because it takes them longer to count the votes," Schumer said.