The Independent View: McConnell Warns Senate Republicans Against Challenging Election Results

Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) warned Republican Senators, Tuesday, during a Private Caucus Call, Not to Object to the Election Results on January 6th.

McConnell told his Caucus that Challenging the Results would force Republicans to take a “terrible vote” because they would need to Vote it Down and appear against Trump. Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) also echoed McConnell’s Remarks.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) said that No One objected on the Call to McConnell encouraging Members to Accept the Election Results. "There wasn’t any pushback to it," she said. "There’s wasn’t anyone saying: oh wait a minute. That didn’t occur."

McConnell’s Advice comes One day after the Electoral College Officially Voted for Joe Biden as the President-Elect. McConnell Acknowledged for the First Time that Biden will be the NextPpresident in his Floor Remarks Tuesday.

Several House Republicans, led by Hard-Line Conservative Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL, 5th District), are still Planning to Challenge the Election Results on January 6th, the Date Congress will Officially Certify them. If a Senator and House Member joins the Long-Shot Effort and Submits in Writing, there Request for a vote on a State Results, to Pence, it will force both Chambers to Debate for Two Hours and then take a Vote on the State's Delegate's Choice. But they have yet to get Official Buy-In from any GOP Senators, though Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY.) hasn't ruled it Out and would need a Representative to agree.

Brooks, in response to McConnell cautioning the GOP against Objecting to the Election Results, tweeted that he hopes it’s “fake news.” “I find it unfathomable that anyone would acquiesce to election theft and voter fraud because they lack the courage to take a difficult vote on the House or Senate floor,” Brooks said in a Phone Interview. “Last time I checked, that’s why we were elected to Congress.”

Brooks has been Actively trying to Recruit a GOP Senator to Join Forces, but Declined to Name Names. Conservatives, however, have been eyeing Senate-Elect AL Tommy Tuberville as someone who may get on board. And Senate Republicans are unsure where he Stands. Tuberville was Not a Part of Tuesday’s Conference Call, he will be Sworn-In on Jan. 3rd, 2021.

McConnell’s Warning underscores how the Last-Ditch Bid to Overturn the Election is putting the GOP in a Bind. On the one hand, Republicans are facing Pressure from Trump and his Allies to Support his Attempt to remain in Power. And Party Leaders want to keep the Base Energized ahead of a Pair of Critical Georgia Senate Runoff Races on Jan. 5th. that will Determine Control of the Senate.

But at the same time, McConnell, who is Defending a Tough Senate Map in 2022, needs to Protect his Members from taking a Tough Vote. If the Senate is Forced to Deliberate the Election Results, most GOP Senators would be going on the Record against a President who Values Fealty above all else. And it would be None other than Vice President Mike Pence Presiding over the Floor Debate, a potentially Awkward Scenario as his Boss continues to Deny the Reality of the Election he Lost.

McConnell on Tuesday’s Call cited a 2005 Objection from former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) after President George W. Bush’s Re-Election, which Delayed the Process by a few hours, according to several sources. The Kentucky Republican warned that he hoped No One, particularly in the Class of 2022, thought that was a good idea.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA, 23rd District), a Top Trump Ally who has yet to Recognize Biden as the President-Elect, has dodged Questions from Reporters about whether he supports Brooks' Gambit. But McCarthy did say during a Recent Appearance on Fox Business Network that the Courts are the Proper Venue to Dispute Election Results. “The president is right to go to the courts, have his legal challenges heard,” McCarthy added. “And he said he still has more opportunity to do that, so we'll wade through and see what happens.”

Trump has yet to show any sign that he will Concede. Instead, on Tuesday, continued to Reiterate False Claims of Voter Fraud on Twitter. He also Publicly and Privately is Leaning on his Hill Allies to Launch a Last-Ditch Effort to Reverse the Election in Congress. He has praised Brooks on Twitter.

Yet even if a GOP Senator gets on board, the Effort is Doomed to Fail, given the Makeup of the Democratic-led House and the Increasing Number of Senate Republicans who have Recognized Biden as the President-Elect. Still, it becomes yet another Trump Loyalty Test in the GOP.