Shortly after Cruz challenged Arizona’s results on Wednesday afternoon, protesters took over the Capitol building, forcing Congress to interrupt the 2020 election certification process. The riots left several people dead, including a woman who was shot and killed by the US Capitol Police and a US Capitol Police officer who reportedly died. Later that night, after the Senate met again, Hawley objected to Pennsylvania’s results.
Since the insurrection, Cruz and Hawley are facing a reaction from their colleagues, who accuse them of inciting violence by casting doubts on the results of the 2020 elections. Hawley and Cruz condemned Wednesday’s violent act. On Thursday morning, Cruz said the Justice Department should “vigorously prosecute” everyone involved and called for a peaceful transfer of power.
A spokesman for Hawley did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Cruz, in an interview with KTRK, rejected Democratic requests for his resignation.
“No one should be surprised to see Democrats doing politics and attacking and trying to attack strong conservative leaders,” said Cruz. “I think it’s very cynical for them to try to take advantage of what was a tragic event that took place yesterday in Washington.”
Coons is not the only Democratic legislator to call for the resignation of senators. The previous Thursday, Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) also said that Cruz and Hawley should resign and that the Senate should expel senators if they refused.
“Sen. Cruz, you must accept responsibility for how your cowardly and selfish actions contributed to the deaths of four people yesterday, ”tweeted Ocasio-Cortez. “And how did you raise funds from this turmoil.”
Cruz and Hawley are not only receiving criticism from Democrats. Former Republican Senator John Danforth told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that supporting Hawley’s 2018 Senate campaign was “the worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life”. And Simon and Schuster also announced that they would cancel publication of their next book.
Both senators are widely seen as potential candidates for 2024.