After a new batch of votes were counted in Arizona’s Maricopa County on Wednesday, which brought Joe Biden’s lead over President Trump down, FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver commented that no calls should have been made about the race and those that were ought to be retracted.
“I don’t know, I guess I’d say that Biden will win Arizona if you forced me to pick, but I sure as heck don’t think the state should have been called by anyone, and I think the calls that were previously made should be retracted now.”
??????
— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) November 5, 2020
With newest batch of votes, @NateSilver538 now saying that @AP and @FoxNews should retract their Arizona calls pic.twitter.com/trmF30kSUj
The comment came in a FiveThirtyEight liveblog shortly after his colleague Nathaniel Rakich discussed the breakdown of the new votes.
“[W]e just got a batch of about 74,000 Maricopa County votes that split 59-41 for Trump. This narrowed Biden’s statewide lead to about 79,000 votes. To close that gap, with about 418,000 ballots left to count statewide, Trump would have to win the remaining ballots … 59-41. One silver lining for Biden, though: A fair number of those remaining 418,000 ballots are in Pima County, which is bluer then Maricopa.”
The Arizona Republican Party is calling on Fox News to retract its projection.
?? We're calling on @FoxNews to retract its early and rash call that Biden has won AZ ??
— Arizona Republican Party (@AZGOP) November 4, 2020
?? 600K votes outstanding
?? GOP edge in remaining returns
?? Other outlets haven't made a call
Dial 888-369-4762 (Press 3) and tell them to retract the call! #StopTheSteal #ProtectYourVote pic.twitter.com/rxWx0pmAbp
Update: Salem radio host Hugh Hewitt agrees.
The stubborn pride of @FoxNews even at this hour when everyone else realizes @realDonaldTrump could flip AZ is as irresponsible as @Twitter was vis-a-vis @NYPost. That @FoxNews decision desk is in essence refusing to report the NEWS!
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) November 5, 2020