GOP Senator Will Force Vote on Certifying Results

House Republicans planning to raise objections when Congress meets to certify the election results have found their Senate dancing partner. Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has confirmed that he also plans to object during the chambers' joint meeting, meaning they will then separate to debate the results from at least one state and vote on whether to certify, Politico reports. Hawley said in a statement that he "cannot vote to certify the electoral college results on Jan. 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own election laws." He said he also plans to point out the "unprecedented efforts of mega corporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election," per Axios. Hawley called for Congress to investigate allegations of voter fraud.

Hawley's decision means Senate Republicans will risk being seen as disloyal to President Trump—who claims the election was "rigged" and he was the real winner—if they vote to certify the results. Some Senate GOPers have already congratulated President-elect Joe Biden, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned about the "terrible vote" earlier this month when he urged senators not to raise objections. The Washington Post notes that even if senators vote against certifying a state's results, the Democratic-controlled House would also have to support the move, so the challenges have no chance of success. The last senator to join House members in challenging a state's results was California Sen. Barbara Boxer, who objected to the Ohio results on Jan. 6, 2005. The Senate voted the Democrat's objection down 74 to 1. (More Election 2020 stories.)