Gov. Baker defends tradition of peaceful transfer of power

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday defended the nation's tradition of peaceful power transfers following elections, a day after President Donald Trump again declined to commit to such a transfer if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Honoring the will of voters is a fundamental part of the nation’s political system, Baker, like Trump a Republican, said during an afternoon news conference.

“It is appalling and outrageous that anyone would suggest for a minute that if they lose an election they’re not going to leave. Period,” Baker said, without naming Trump. “How many times have we heard at the end of an election: The people have spoken.”

Trump said during a Wednesday news conference, “We’re going to have to see what happens,” responding to a question about committing to the results. “You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster.”

Baker pointed to other divisive times in the nation — including the 1860 election in which Abraham Lincoln won just under 40% of the popular vote in a four-way race but sufficient Electoral College votes to be president even as the nation headed toward civil war.

Baker also defended mail-in voting. Trump has baselessly claimed widespread mail voting will lead to massive fraud. Baker said he mailed in his ballot during the primary, and it worked just fine.

Baker said he didn’t vote for Trump in 2016 and won’t vote for him this year.

“One way or another, people are going to speak in November up and down the ticket for all those races that are out there and those of us who serve in public life will do everything we can to make sure the people’s will is followed through and executed on, because that is fundamentally why there is a United States of America in the first place," he said.