A group of Republican senators led by veteran Ted Cruz said on Sunday that they would not vote this week to certify President-elect Joe Biden's election win — the latest last-ditch move to support President Donald Trump's efforts to undermine the vote. A coalition of 11 Republican senators said it would challenge the outcome of the presidential election by voting to reject electors from some states when Congress meets next week to certify the Electoral College results that confirmed Biden won. Trump's extraordinary refusal to accept his election defeat and the effort to subvert the will of the voters has become a defining moment for Republicans and is tearing the party apart. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has urged Republicans not to try to overturn the election. The 11 senators, led by Ted Cruz of Texas, said they would vote against certain state electors unless Congress appoints an electoral commission to immediately conduct an audit of the election results. They acknowledged they are unlikely to change the results of the election. "We intend to vote on Jan. 6 to reject the electors from disputed states as not ‘regularly given' and ‘lawfully certified' (the statutory requisite), unless and until that emergency 10-day audit is completed," they wrote in the statement. The statement says individual states could then convene special legislative sessions and potentially revise their vote totals. The support for the US president came a day after Trump was dealt a humiliating blow in his last days in office with the Senate voting overwhelmingly to override his veto of a sweeping defense bill — the first time congress has done so during his presidency. The initiative, which appears certain to fail, flies in the face of rulings in dozens of courts and the findings by officials in several key states, that there were no widespread voting problems. "An attempt to steal a landslide win. Can't let it happen!" Trump tweeted. Posting a list of the 11 senators, Trump added: "And after they see the facts, plenty more to come ... Our Country will love them for it!" They join senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who said last week he planned to raise objections. A Republican member of the House of Representatives, Louie Gohmert, also announced his plan to oppose certification, and more than 100 house Republicans reportedly will back his challenge. Gohmert sought to raise the stakes with a lawsuit to give Vice-President Mike Pence — traditionally in a ceremonial role in the session — the power to overturn the election result. Pence opposed that effort, and a federal judge in Texas on Saturday rejected the suit. The 11 senators conceded that most Democrats and "more than a few Republicans" would likely oppose their initiative. Among them is Republican senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, whose state was a battleground that helped tip Biden into the win column. Its result is expected to be among those contested. "A fundamental, defining feature of a democratic republic is the right of the people to elect their own leaders," Senator Toomey tweeted. "The effort by Sens. 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. But, on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT), I intend to vigorously defend our form of government by opposing this effort to disenfranchise millions of voters in my state and others." Emphasizing the party's split, Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska warned such challenges are a "dangerous ploy" threatening the nation's civic norms. "I will not be participating in a project to overturn the election," Sasse wrote in a lengthy social media post. Sasse, a potential 2024 presidential contender, said he was "urging my colleagues also to reject this dangerous ploy." Meanwhile another senator too endorsed the gravity of the situation. "We are letting people vote their conscience," Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking Republican, told reporters at the Capitol. Thune's remarks as the GOP whip in charge of rounding up votes show that Republican leadership is not putting its muscle behind Trump's demands, but allowing senators to choose their course. He noted the gravity of questioning the election outcome. "This is an issue that's incredibly consequential, incredibly rare historically and very precedent-setting," he said. "This is a big vote. They are thinking about it." McConnell, meanwhile, has urged fellow Republicans to vote to certify and avoid a divisive political brawl, saying: "The Electoral College has spoken." To ward off a dramatic unraveling, McConnell convened a conference call with Republican senators Thursday specifically to address the coming joint session and logistics of tallying the vote, according to several Republicans granted anonymity to discuss the private call. The Republican leader pointedly called on Hawley to answer questions about his challenge to Biden's victory, according to two of the Republicans. But there was no response because Hawley was a no-show, the Republicans said. Senator Cruz is considered a likely 2024 presidential candidate. Senator Hawley is also said to be positioning himself for a 2024 run — and so is Pence. — Agencies
