A group of GOP senators, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, is discussing which states to object to for the certification of the presidential election results — if there are any. The certification will happen on Jan. 6. However, according to a Fox News report, the group has yet to reach a conclusion.
Apart from Cruz (R-Texas), the group is made up of Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). The group has expressed their intent to object to the certification of the results. The only way they would not is if a 10-day audit of the results will take place, which would be done by an electoral commission.
However, as of Monday, it seems the group is still discussing their plan of action, as per a Fox News report. The senators have reportedly been conducting numerous conference calls, but “no conclusions” have been finalized.
The Push To Object To The Election Results
House Republicans have started pressing on Senate Republicans to push through with the objection. They want Senate Republicans to object in at least three states to try and impact the outcome of the presidential elections. The race has been called way back in November, declaring President-elect Joe Biden as the winner.
More than 100 Republican House members will reportedly deny the certifications in six states. These states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin
“If the Republican senators don’t object to enough states, the entire effort on Jan. 6 is worthless,” a House Republican official reportedly told Fox News. The official also stated that to make an ideal impact on the results, GOP senators need to also object ideally on all six aforementioned states.
“If they don’t, it will be a great disappointment to the president, their constituents, and ensure a Joe Biden victory,” the official also stated.
In December, Sen. Josh Hawley, (R-Mo.) became the first GOP senator that committed to rejecting the results. He said he would specifically do so in, at the very least, Pennsylvania.
Call for a 10-Day Audit
Meanwhile, Cruz’s group has yet to say explicitly that they will commit to objecting to any state. Instead, they wanted to call for an emergency 10-day audit for the results in disputed states.
“Once completed, individual states would evaluate the commission’s findings and could convene a special legislative session to certify a change in their vote, if needed,” the Senate GOP group said over the weekend.
If the audit is not approved, then the group will object to the certification.
Apart from Cruz’s group, another GOP senator might also object to at least one state. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) may possibly object, but it is still unknown in which state he would do so. Paul’s office has yet to release a comment on the matter.
Other Senators React
On the other hand, a bipartisan group in the Senate said the efforts to object to the election results on Jan. 6 will only result in one thing. It will only “undermine” any public confidence in the recently held presidential election.
“The 2020 election is over. All challenges through recounts and appeals have been exhausted,” read a joint statement by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Angus King (I-Maine), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
“At this point, further attempts to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election are contrary to the clearly expressed will of the American people and only serve to undermine Americans’ confidence in the already determined election results … The voters have spoken, and Congress must now fulfill its responsibility to certify the election results,” their statement added.
They also said: “It is time to move forward.”
President Donald Trump has launched a campaign, legally challenging the electoral results. At the same time, he has urged states that are run with Republican governors and lawmakers to help him overturn Biden’s victories.
Despite the numerous lawsuits, judges in most challenged states have shot them down.
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