Clinton gains 22,000 votes on Trump in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa. – President-elect Donald Trump’s margin of victory in Pennsylvania is shrinking as more counties finish tallying their votes.

An updated count Friday by state election officials shows Trump’s lead over Democrat Hillary Clinton has shrunk to 49,000, from 71,000.

That puts Trump’s lead at 0.8 percent, down from over 1 percent, out of 6 million votes cast. It’s still shy of Pennsylvania’s 0.5 percent trigger for an automatic statewide recount. Trump’s Pennsylvania victory was crucial to his capturing the White House.

The update comes as Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein spearheads recount efforts in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Trump narrowly beat Clinton in all three states.

Trump’s lead in Pennsylvania dropped as counties wrapped up the counting of overseas ballots and settled provisional ballot challenges.

Some counties are also fielding precinct recount requests, and final counts are outstanding in some places, including Philadelphia.

Michigan recount could start next week

Michigan’s elections board has deadlocked on President-elect Donald Trump’s request to prevent a recount, which means it will start next week unless the courts intervene.

Two Republicans voted Friday to prevent the recount, while two Democrats said it should proceed. A state spokesman says the statewide recount requested by Green Party candidate Jill Stein will begin Tuesday or Wednesday barring a court order.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a Republican, asked the state Supreme Court on Friday to intervene and stop the recount. That motion is pending.

A Wisconsin recount is underway, though his supporters have filed a federal lawsuit trying to stop in. In Pennsylvania, Trump is asking a court to dismiss Stein’s recount request.