US elections: Republicans fracture over Donald Trump’s ‘rigged’ election claims

Key Republican lawmakers, including 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, criticized President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Democrats are trying to “steal” the election. But some Republican leaders took a more neutral tone and others urged the White House to fight in court.

Romney, now a senator from Utah, said Trump was within his right to request recounts and request investigations when there is evidence of wrongdoing.

But Trump “is wrong in saying that the election was rigged, corrupted and stolen,” Romney said on Twitter. Trump’s claim “damages the cause of freedom here and around the world … and recklessly ignites destructive and dangerous passions,” he said.

Romney is the most vocal critic of Trump within the Republican Party and voted to convict Trump in the president’s impeachment earlier this year.

His comments came as Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, whose state is a key battleground in the presidential election, where votes are still being counted, called Trump’s claim of fraud “very disturbing.”

“There is simply no evidence that anyone has shown me of widespread corruption or fraud,” Toomey said.

“The president’s speech last night was very disturbing for me because he made very, very serious accusations without any supporting evidence,” he said.

While he voted for Trump, “I want the next president to be the person who legitimately wins the Electoral College and I will accept whoever he is.

Trump, who has complained about mail-in ballots for weeks, has stepped up his accusations and has said in the White House that the ballot-counting process is corrupt. Trump did not back up his claims with any details or evidence, and state and federal officials have not reported any cases of widespread voter fraud.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took a more neutral tone, and other senior Republicans urged Trump more defiantly to continue the legal fight.

“Every legal vote must be counted,” McConnell tweeted early Friday morning. “All parties must come to observe the process.”

McConnell became irritable during a press conference later in Kentucky when he was repeatedly asked to say more. “Beyond that, I have nothing to say,” McConnell said. “No matter how many times you ask, I have already given my answer.”

Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, a member of the Republican leadership, said Trump “should turn this discussion over to his lawyers,” adding that the Trump campaign was making inconsistent arguments.

“You can’t stop counting in one state and decide that you want the count to continue in another state. This may be how you would like to see the system work, but it isn’t,” Blunt said.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took a more confrontational tone, inaccurately insisting that Trump “won” the election, even though officials in several states are still counting Americans’ votes. .

“So everyone who is listening, don’t shut up, don’t be silent about this. We cannot allow this to happen before our eyes,” he said. “Join us and let’s stop this.”

The split showed the control Trump still has over his party, particularly after Republicans in Congress won House and Senate seats running for reelection alongside the president.

One of Trump’s main allies, Senator Lindsey Graham, told reporters that he supports Trump’s efforts to challenge the counting of votes in several states that have not yet been called up for the presidential race. The South Carolina Republican said he had spoken to the Trump campaign and expects evidence of voting irregularities to emerge in the next 48 hours, but added that it is up to the Trump campaign to defend that case.

While he was “not admitting” that Biden would win the presidency, Graham said he would try to work with a possible Democratic administration. Graham vowed to “fight like hell” to stop “a radical agenda,” while acknowledging that “if Biden wins, he’s president,” and Republicans “will try to work with him when we can.”

Other Republican senators, governors, and other elected officials were quick to reject Trump.

Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan, a potential 2024 presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally, “There is no defense for the president’s comments tonight that undermine our democratic process. United States. he is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before. “

Trump’s tweets on Thursday declaring victory and asking officials to “STOP the count” were proof of how firmly he can hold off Republicans as he tries to challenge the voting process in court.

Before Trump’s speech in the White House meeting room, several Republicans challenged his attempts to stop the vote counting in Pennsylvania and other battle states.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski urged “everyone to be patient” as the results come in. “It is critical that we give election officials time to complete their jobs and that we ensure that all legally cast votes are allowed and counted,” he said in a statement. .

Will Hurd, a Republican from Texas who did not seek re-election, called Trump’s comments on corruption “dangerous” and “incorrect.” Trump’s comments undermined America’s political process and “the very foundation on which this nation was built,” Hurd said.

Former Senator Rick Santorum said the country needed to allow Trump to accept possible defeat when he was ready, and urged Americans to “give the people time.”

“This is a very emotional moment,” Santorum said. “Give people space to work on this.”

While Biden is close to the 270 electoral college votes required to win the White House, an official winner has yet to be declared.