Baker: Trump's Refusal To Say He'll Honor Election Results Is Irresponsible

Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday criticized Donald Trump's refusal to say that he would honor the results of the presidential election.

Through a spokeswoman, Baker, a Republican who has long said he would not vote for his party's nominee, labeled Trump's noncommittal stance as irresponsible.

Communications director Lizzy Guyton said in a statement that Baker believes "the strength of our nation's democratic system is based in part on the consent of all participants to honor the outcomes. The governor believes Mr. Trump’s failure to concede this foundational principle of our nation’s democratic system is irresponsible and another example of why he lacks the temperament to be president."

Trump was asked by the moderator in Wednesday night's third and final presidential debate if he will "absolutely accept the result of this election." Trump responded that he "will look at it at the time."

And then, Trump, speaking in Ohio on Thursday, said "of course I would accept a clear election result." But he stressed that he was not sure he would receive one, citing misleading statistics on voter fraud. He alleged without evidence that [Democrat] Hillary Clinton's campaign was trying to "rig" the election.

Guyton's statement also reaffirmed Baker's stance that he will not vote for Clinton, either.

New England's only other Republican governor, Paul LePage of Maine, is a Trump supporter. But when asked Thursday on a Maine radio station about Trump's refusal to say he'll honor the election results, LePage called the stance "an absolute stupid move, period."

With additional reporting by The Associated Press