Trump pursues recount of 2 liberal Wis. counties

President Donald Trump filed Wednesday for a recount of Wisconsin's two largest Democratic counties, paying the required $3 million cost and alleging that they were the sites of the "worst irregularities" although no evidence of illegal activity has been presented.

The recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties will begin Friday and must be done by Dec. 1. Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes in those two counties compared with 213,157 for Trump. Biden won statewide by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by the counties.

Milwaukee County is the state's largest, home to the city of Milwaukee, and Black people make up about 27% of the population, more than any other county. Dane County is home to the liberal capital city of Madison and the flagship University of Wisconsin campus.

Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said they didn't choose Dane and Milwaukee counties due to any ballot problems.

"They chose these two counties because they are Democratic strongholds and Milwaukee is a majority minority city and this is just another form of voter suppression and trying to essentially attack our our minority neighborhoods."

The Wisconsin recount will be done as the state continues to ride a surge of coronavirus cases, breaking records this week for deaths, new positives and hospitalizations. Recount organizers were planning to do the work in large convention centers so workers and observers could be properly distanced.

"It's not surprising at all that Donald Trump, the Trump campaign, wants to have one last mass gathering that will put people's health in peril," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said about people gathering for the recount.