Search the Internet           Tips

George Bush wins Florida

Texas Governor George W. Bush has won the 25 electoral votes needed to take his tally beyond the 270 required to win the United States presidency. Florida officials on Sunday certified his 537-vote lead after the recount. Vice President Al Gore holds a total of 255 electoral votes.

However, there may be some hiccups as Vice President Al Gore's camp is preparing to challenge those results even as Bush appealed to him to desist from taking that course of action.

Gore's running mate, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, said they would contest the results in Florida courts.

Bush nevertheless said he would go ahead with forming an administration and named his running mate, former defence secretary Dick Cheney, to lead his transition team and former Transportation Secretary Andrew Card to serve as chief of staff.

"This has been a hard-fought election, a healthy contest for American democracy," he said. "Now that the votes are counted, it is time for the votes to count. The vice president's lawyers have said they will contest the election results. I respectfully ask him to reconsider," he appealed.

Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified the results on Sunday night after a deadline for counties to submit amended returns from hand recounts passed at 1700 hours (American time). The final tally, according to Harris, was 2,912,790 votes for Bush and 2,912,253 for Gore.

Republican George W. Bush's top adviser said the Florida election results confirmed that Bush won the November 7 presidential election, and slammed plans by Democrats to contest in court the Florida results.

Speaking shortly after Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified Bush as the winner of the disputed presidential election in Florida, James Baker said the results confirmed that Bush and his running mate Richard Cheney had won the November 7 presidential election.

"It's time to honour the will of the people," he said. "This election be brought to a conclusion."

Commenting on plans by Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore to the Florida results, Baker said: "Make no mistake, this approach is extraordinary. It cannot be justified simply as business as usual."

Baker said he hoped that the Democrats would reconsider.

EXTERNAL LINK
Florida certifies Bush winner; Gore to challenge

Tell us what you think of this report