- Vice President Mike Pence is supporting the efforts of Republican lawmakers who plan to challenge President-elect Biden’s victory during a joint session of Congress.
- About a dozen senators and 140 House Republicans have indicated that they are opposed to the certification of votes from the Electoral College.
- Objections from members of the House and Senate could delay certification of the results, but would not change the election results in any US state.
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Vice President Mike Pence is supporting the efforts of Republican lawmakers to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s victory by opposing the certification of votes from the Electoral College.
“Vice President Pence shares the concerns of millions of Americans about fraud and electoral irregularities in the last election,” Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, said in a statement, The Washington Post reported.
“The vice president welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use their authority under the law to raise objections and present evidence before Congress and the American people on January 6.”
The claim was made after Republican senators and deputies indicated that they will object to the certification of votes from the Electoral College.
President-elect Joe Biden won the election by receiving 306 electoral votes, compared with President Donald Trump’s 232.. The results were certified in all states, and presidential voters cast their votes last month.
Voters’ votes are to be certified Wednesday during a joint procedural session of Congress, confirming the winner that voters and the Electoral College have already chosen.
As vice president and president of the Senate, Pence will oversee the certification of results.
But Texas Sen. Ted Cruz announced on Saturday that he would oppose certification, and about a dozen other senators are expected to join him. Cruz’s effort is to seek a 10-day emergency audit of the election results.
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri also indicated on Wednesday that he would oppose certification.
Opposing senators expressed concern about the integrity of the election, although dozens of lawsuits for electoral fraud have not been successful. The Justice Department also said it found no evidence of widespread fraud that would change election results.
Some Republican senators, including Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, said they would not support efforts to challenge the election results.
Meanwhile, at least 140 House Republicans are also planning to vote against the Electoral College’s vote on January 6.
Objections from members of the House and Senate could delay certification of the results, but would not change the election results in any US state.
Pence’s indication of support for the efforts came a day after a lawsuit against him was filed in court.
Texas deputy Louie Gohmert led a bid to sue the vice president for his role in overseeing the certification process scheduled for Wednesday. Gohmert argued that Pence should have the authority to accept or reject the election results of individual states, which would give him the opportunity to reject votes from states won by Biden.
Before the court’s decision, Pence and the Justice Department asked the judge to suspend the case, which was already unlikely to succeed.