Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) speculated without evidence Wednesday that President Donald Trump could exploit the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak to push back the 2020 presidential election.
“My concern is that in the age of Trump that other governors might think, or that the president might ask, for a delay in the November election based on something, perhaps this, perhaps something else,” Brown told reporters on the subject of Ohio halting its Tuesday presidential primary election, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
“I wish they had done this earlier. I think they could have done this on Friday. He’s in the arena doing this, I’m not,” Brown added, referencing Gov. Mike DeWine (R). “I’m not super critical of him. I just wish they had done this earlier.”
Hours before the state’s primary, Gov. DeWine urged polls to close and reschedule the election to June 2.
“We should not force them to make this choice, the choice between their health and their constitutional rights and duties,” DeWine said at a press conference Monday.
Arizona, Florida, and Illinois went ahead with their primary elections. Former Vice President Joe Biden won all three states.
Brown also voiced support for using a “national vote-by-mail system” for November’s election, echoing calls made by failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Arizona Democrat Caucus.
As of Wednesday, Ohio has 88 confirmed cases of coronavirus across 19 counties, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.