Trump, on tape, presses Georgia official to 'find' Trump votes

President Donald Trump badgered and pleaded with Georgia's election chief to overturn Joe Biden's win in state, suggesting in a telephone call that official "find" eugh votes to hand Trump victory.

conversation on Saturday was latest step in an unprecedented effort by a sitting president to pressure a state official to reverse outcome of a free and fair election that he lost.

renewed intervention and persistent and unfounded claims of fraud by first president to lose reelection in almost 30 years come nearly two weeks before Trump leaves office and two days before twin ruffs in Georgia that will determine control of Senate.

Trump confirmed in a tweet on Sunday that he had spoken with Georgia's secretary of state, Republican Brad Raffensperger, a day earlier.

Audio snippets of conversation were posted online by Washington Post. A recording of call was later obtained by Associated Press from a person who was on call.

president, who has refused to accept his loss to Democratic president-elect, is heard telling Raffensperger at one point: "All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won state." Georgia certified election results showing that Biden won state's vember 3 election by 11,779 votes.

White House referred questions to Trump's reelection campaign, which did t respond on Sunday to an emailed request for comment. Raffensperger's office did t respond to a text mess seeking comment.

Trump has repeatedly attacked how Raffensperger ran Georgias elections, claiming without evidence that states 16 electoral votes were wrongly given to Biden.

"He has clue!" Trump tweeted of Raffensperger, saying state official "was unwilling, or unable" to answer questions about a series of claims about ballot handling and voters that have been debunked or shot down by judges and election authorities.

Raffenspergers Twitter response: "Respectfully, President Trump: What youre saying is t true. truth will come out." re was widespread fraud in election, which a range of election officials across country, as well as Trumps former attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed.

Republican goverrs in Arizona and Georgia, key battleground states crucial to Bidens victory, have also vouched for integrity of elections in ir states. Nearly all legal challenges from Trump and his allies have been dismissed by judges, including two tossed by Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-minated justices.

Senate ruffs pit Sen. Kelly Loeffler against Democrat Raphael Warck and Sen. David Perdue against Democrat Jon Ossoff. With Senate up for grabs, candidates and outside groups supporting m have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in contests, deluging Georgia with television ads, mail, phone calls and door-kcking efforts.

Loeffler said she had t decided wher to join Republican colleagues in challenging legitimacy of Bidens victory over Trump. Democratic candidates whose wins Tuesday would help clear roadblocks for new administrations nda awaited a campaign visit from Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Trump has persisted in attacking top Georgia Republicans over his election loss in state, raising fears that his words could cause some Republicans to stay away from polls.

"I believe that we will win on Tuesday because of grassroots momentum, unprecedented movement energy in Georgia right w," Ossoff told CNN's "State of Union." He said "it feels in Georgia like we are on cusp of a historic victory." Loeffler, when asked about siding with growing group of Senate Republicans seeking to contest Electoral College count, said she was "looking very closely at it, and Ive been one of first to say, everythings on table." She told "Fox News Sunday" that "Im fighting for this president because hes fought for us. Hes our president and were going to keep making sure that this is a fair election." Warck, senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta who has continued to preach as he campaigns for office, seemed to allude to ruff in a mess delivered Sunday. He told viewers watching remotely due to pandemic that y are "on verge of victory" in ir lives if y accept that God has already equipped m with ability to overcome ir adversaries.

"When God is with you, you can defeat giants," said Warck, who ended early morning service by encouraging Georgians to vote on Tuesday.

"Its so very important that your voice be heard in this defining moment in our country," he said. "I would t be so presumptuous as to tell you who to vote for." Loeffler was appointed to fill a vacancy when Republican Johnny Isakson resigned his seat, and she will be in Senate, win or lose this coming week, until election is certified. Perdues seat will temporarily be vacant after his term expires Sunday at end of six years.

Harris was scheduled to be in Savannah on Sunday afteron. Trump and Biden plan last-minute, in-person efforts Monday to mobilize voters after more than 3 million people cast ballots early.

president continues to create turbulence for Loeffler and Perdue by questioning Bidens narrow victory in Georgia and reliability of states election systems.