Joe Biden issues a warning of threat to US democracy

Picture Courtesy: CNN

US President Joe Biden has warned any candidates who refuse to accept defeat in next week's midterm elections could set the nation on "the path to chaos”.

The president said from Union Station in Washington, "We can’t take democracy for granted any longer.” He further added, “As I stand here today, there are candidates running for every level of office in America – for governor, for Congress, for attorney general, for secretary of state who won’t commit to accepting the results of the elections they’re in.”

Control of both chambers of Congress and key state governorships are hanging in the balance in next week's elections. He argued that former President Donald Trump's "big lie that the election of 2020 had been stolen" was the driving force behind both the assault on 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and the US Capitol riot.

Most forecasts suggest Republicans will win control of the House of Representatives, while the Senate could go either way. House Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy, who would become speaker of the lower chamber of Congress should his party win control next week, tweeted: "President Biden is trying to divide and deflect at a time when America needs to unite - because he can't talk about his policies that have driven up the cost of living.

According to CBS, out of 595 Republicans running for state-wide office, just over half - 306 - have raised doubts about the 2020 presidential election.