GOP Sen. Josh Hawley
Joshua (Josh) David Hawley GOP Lawmaker Thinks 100 Republicans Could Challenge Electoral College Results Here Republicans plan to challenge Electoral College results. Kemp dismisses Trump’s call to step down as ‘a distraction’ MORE(Mo.) ‘s decision to object to the electoral college result puts his fellow Republican senators in a difficult political situation, fueling frustration within the caucus.
Hawley is the first senator to announce support for a long-running attempt to challenge the results in key states when Congress convenes a joint session on Wednesday, giving a group of House conservatives the backing they need to finish a debate. to force and vote against the president-elect. Joe Biden
Joe Biden Trump halts trip to Florida, returns to Washington Thursday Intel vice chairman says cyber-attack by government agencies ‘may have started earlier’ Trump administration releases unconfirmed information about Chinese bounties on US troops in Afghanistan: Report MOREis to be won.
It is exactly the scenario that GOP leaders hoped to avoid. While conservatives can only delay – not change – the election outcome, the votes will potentially provide primary fodder against the incumbents in 2022 and quell the White House’s hopeful expectations in 2024.
“I don’t think it’s the role of the Senate to get a bunch of politicians in Washington to destroy our presidential election,” Sen said. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneHawley Challenges Electoral College Results In Senate Senate Ready To Override Trump’s Defense Law Veto Trump Targets Congressional Republicans On Multiple Fronts MORE (RS.D.), who said he would wait to hear the objections, but would vote for the “Constitution and the Rule of Law”.
Her. Kevin Cramer
Kevin John CramerHouse Democratic Representative Rick Larsen tests positive for COVID-19 A year after the renewed authorization, EXIM helps US workers and keeps China at bay Senators urge IRS to offer late filing and payment amid pandemic MORE (RN.D.) – who is waiting to hear the arguments on Jan. 6 – predicted that the joint session will “go crazy” and framed by some as a question of whether a GOP lawmaker supports Trump.
“That will be a general standard set by people who are very loyal to the president. … I mean, I hear it every day, ”added Cramer.
Hawley is not apologetic about forcing his colleagues into a political divide.
‘I imagine voters will want to know. Have you voiced their concerns? Did you take a stand when you could or could not, ”said Hawley, asking about his GOP colleagues in the Senate due to be reelected in 2022.
Hawley joined the Senate in 2019 and is already seen as a potential candidate for the White House in 2024. He says political ambitions will not guide his January 6 strategy, but that he is raising money for his decision.
Asked about the likelihood that his electoral college decision will make him unpopular with his Republican peers, Hawley quipped, “More than I already am?”
Her. Ben Sasse
Ben Sasse Trump’s last few weeks create chaos for Congressional GOP senator over Trump pardons: ‘This is rotten to the core’ No, Biden hasn’t won yet – another nightmare scenario (R-Neb.) Did not directly name Hawley or any other GOP senator, but described any Republican who supported the attempt to challenge the election results as an “institutional arsonist.”
Let’s be clear what’s going on here: we have a bunch of ambitious politicians who think there is a quick way to tap into the president’s populist base without causing any real, long-term damage. But they are wrong – and this problem is bigger than anyone’s personal ambitions. Adults don’t point with a loaded gun to the core of legitimate self-government, ”Sasse wrote in an open letter to voters posted to Facebook.
Her. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret Collins Senate poised to override Trump’s defense law veto Push for, 000 stimulus checks hits Senate buzzsaw On The Trail: The Political Winners of 2020 MORE (R-Maine) also wondered why Hawley backed an attempt after the courts dismissed dozens of election challenges from Trump’s legal team.
“I don’t think he will be victorious in his quest. And I wonder why he is doing it when the courts have unanimously thrown out the lawsuits filed by the president’s team for lack of credible evidence, ”said Collins. Senator Hawley is a smart attorney who worked at the Supreme Court, so he clearly understands that. So I don’t understand. ”
Asked if she would vote against objections, Collins said “absolutely,” absently, “a very unexpected revelation that I can’t imagine would happen.”
The issue was raised during a GOP Senate caucus call on Thursday, where the Senate leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Key Test Vote Over Trump Veto Set For Friday Jeff Stein: Battle For K Direct Payments’ Puts Huge Pressure On Republican Caucus Dow Closes End Of Year Rally Record MORE (R-Ky.) Urged Hawley to explain his thinking.
Hawley was not on the phone, which was first reported by Politico, but then sent an email to GOP senators saying that many voters in his state were “deeply angry and disillusioned” and that he would use his objection on Jan. 6 to “raise these issues.”
“I am convinced that it is perfectly appropriate that those of us who are concerned about the integrity of this latest election should do the same,” Hawley wrote, noting objections from Democrats in previous years.
GOP Sen. Pat Toomey
Patrick (Pat) Joseph Toomey Government Used Patriot Act To Collect Website Visitor Logs In 2019 Appeals Court Rules NSA’s Bulk Phone Data Collection Illegal Dunford Withdraws From Consideration To Chair Coronavirus Monitoring Panel MORE (Pa.), Who will retire in late 2022, spoke out against Hawley’s plan during the call, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hill, adding that Toomey “disagrees at all” with Hawley.
It’s the kind of GOP infighting McConnell has typically tried to avoid, after fights between parties cost them seats in previous election cycles. The 19 GOP senators due for re-election in two years must now decide whether to vote to support Trump’s voter fraud allegations, which have been largely rejected by the courts, or vote to uphold election results, and possibly open up set for a bloody primary fight.
Her. Roy Blunt
Roy Dean BluntSenate ready to override Trump’s defense bill Schumer vetoes to attempt to pass K stimulus checks bill Tuesday House passes bill boosting stimulus checks to, 000 in bipartisan vote MORE (R-Mo.), Due to be reelected in 2022, has said he will not join any objections, citing his role in the joint session.
“I expect there will be a fierce debate about every state where voters are challenged by at least one MP and one senator. As one of the four members of Congress required to participate in the joint session, I will not participate in any objection, ”said Blunt.
Her. Ron Johnson
Ronald (Ron) Harold Johnson GOP Senator Says He Will Block Permission For, 000 Stimulus Checks Push For, 000 Stimulation Checks Hits Senate Buzz On The Trail: The Political Losers of 2020 MORE (R-Wis.), Who has held tight to Trump and is due for reelection in 2022, has said he will not object, but does not rule out supporting an objection if it comes to a vote.
‘There is no reason for more people to object. Only one is needed. But I will support his efforts and support the conference’s efforts to hear the issues, as I did at the hearing. We have to, we can’t just close our eyes, ”Johnson said.
If a notice of objection is supported by a member of the House and a member of the Senate, the two chambers separate and debate it each for a maximum of two hours. Both the House and Senate would then vote on whether or not to uphold the objection, which would require a majority in both houses to be successful.
Both incoming Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) And Kelly Loeffler
Kelly Loeffler Ossoff Shuts Down Loeffler’s Criticism of Warnock: She Campaigns With a Klansman Jeff Stein: Battle Over K Direct Payments Puts Huge Pressure on Republican Caucus Kemp Rejects Trump’s Call to Step Down as ‘a Distraction’ MORE (R-Ga.) Are seen as GOP senators who could potentially object, with Tuberville’s campaign manager saying he’s considering and Loeffler refusing to rule it out. Other White House hopes for 2024, including Sens. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzHawley To Challenge Electoral College Results In Senate Five GOP Senators To Watch In Next Month’s Electoral College Battle The Memo: Could Pence Run And Win In 2024? LAKE (Texas), Rand Paul
Randal (Rand) Howard PaulHawley To Challenge Electoral College Results In Senate A Vaccine, A Burrito, And More: 7 Lighter, Memorable Moments From 2020 GOP Senator Says He Will Block Permission For, 000 Stimulus Checks MORE (Ky.) And Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonHawley To Challenge Electoral College Results In Senate Statues Teach No History Five GOP Senators To Watch In Next Month’s Electoral College Battle MORE (Ark.) Have refused to rule out objection.
Hawley said other offices had contacted in the wake of his announcement to let him know they were interested.
“I would think there would be more, but maybe not, I don’t know. Too soon to say, ”Hawley said.
GOP leaders see the high-profile battle as inevitable, although Thune said he has not known another GOP senator to object.
“It’s a vote of which, as I said, we ultimately know how this will turn out. Now we have to deal with it. I don’t know there is much we can do there other than that debate, that discussion, hold the vote, let people vote their consciousness and move on, ”said Thune.
Her. John Cornyn
John Cornyn Senate poised to lift Trump’s veto Push for, 000 stimulus checks hits Senate buzzsaw Juan Williams: The GOP’s problem with women of color MORE (R-Texas), a McConnell advisor, added “It only takes one, so it sounds like we’ll be here for a while.”
“There are many things I don’t want to let happen,” Cornyn added. So you just have to learn to deal with it. And I think this is one of them. ”