WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing number of Republican lawmakers are joining President Donald Trump’s extraordinary effort to overturn the election, pledging to reject the results when Congress meets this week to count the Electoral College votes and certify Joe Biden’s win.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Saturday announced a coalition of 11 senators and senators-elect who have signed on to help overturn the election results.
"We do not take this action lightly," Cruz and the other senators said in a joint statement.
They vowed to vote against certain state electors on Wednesday unless Congress appoints an electoral commission to immediately conduct an audit of the election results. They are zeroing in on the states where Trump has raised unfounded claims of voter fraud, including Pennsylvania. Congress is unlikely to agree to their demand.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had urged his party not to try to overturn what nonpartisan election officials have concluded was a free and fair election.
The U.S. House members who will join the group of GOP senators objecting to the electoral college vote include eight out of nine of Pennsylvania’s Republican U.S. Representatives. Among them are Fred Keller of the 12th District; John Joyce of the 13th District; and Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson of the 15th District.
Pennsylvania’s GOP senator, Pat Toomey, is not supporting the effort.
“A fundamental, defining feature of a democratic republic is the right of the people to elect their own leaders,” Toomey said in a statement. “The effort by Senators Hawley, Cruz, and others to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in swing states like Pennsylvania directly undermines this right.”
“I voted for President Trump and endorsed him for re-election,” Toomey said. “But on Wednesday, I intend to vigorously defend our form of government by opposing this effort to disenfranchise millions of voters in my state and others.”
Biden defeated Trump by more than 7 million votes nationwide. He received 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. The Trump team’s effort to overturn the election in the courts has failed.