Trump says he may not accept election result, in challenge to US democracy

Republican candidate Donald Trump on Oct. 19 would not commit to accepting the outcome of the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election if he loses, challenging a cornerstone of American democracy and sending shockwaves across the political spectrum. 
Trump's refusal, which his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called "horrifying," was the standout remark of their third and final debate and ratcheted up claims he has made for weeks that the election was rigged against him. 

Asked by moderator Chris Wallace whether Trump would not commit to a peaceful transition of power, the businessman-turned-politician replied: "What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense. Ok?" 

Trump's statement may appeal to his anti-establishment followers, but it was unlikely to reverse opinion polls that show him losing, including in key states that will decide the election. 

"That is not the way our democracy works," Clinton said during the debate. "We've been around for 240 years. We've had free and fair elections. We've accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them. And that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election." 

Later she told reporters: "What he said tonight is part of his whole effort to blame somebody else for where he is in his campaign." 

A CNN/ORC snap poll said 52 percent thought Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, won the debate while 39 percent said Trump, a former reality TV star making his first run at public office, was the victor. 

In financial markets Mexico's peso currency, seen as a measure of Trump's prospects, rose to its highest level in six weeks at the end of the debate, suggesting growing investor confidence of a...