Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. and the Majority Whip, warned his party members that efforts to challenge the Electoral College’s results in Congress will “go down like a shot dog” in the Senate.
Thune has publicly and private pushed back on House Republicans’ efforts to nullify Electoral College votes certified by governors in battleground states that are riddled with vote fraud, in order to elect Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
“I mean, in the Senate, it would … go down like a shot dog,” Thune told reporters. “I just don’t think it makes a lot of sense to put everybody through this when you know what the ultimate outcome is going to be.”
His comments come after a group of House Republicans reportedly met with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to strategize on the efforts to challenge Biden’s win when Congress formally convenes to count and certify the votes next month.
Big meeting today with @realDonaldTrump, @VP, the President’s legal team, @freedomcaucus and other Members of Congress.
I will lead an objection to Georgia’s electors on Jan 6.
The courts refuse to hear the President’s legal case.
We’re going to make sure the People can!
— Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice) December 22, 2020
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., is leading the effort in the House, arguing that there is enough evidence of widespread voter fraud to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the results.
“I’m doing this because in my judgment this is the worst election theft in the history of the United States,” Brooks told The Hill. “And if there was a way to determine the Electoral College outcome using only lawful votes cast by eligible American citizens, then Donald Trump won the Electoral College.”
For Brooks’s challenge to move forward, however, he would need at least one Republican senator to join him.
Thune said he does not know of anyone in the Senate GOP who “is committed to doing it.”
“I don’t know where they’re getting that. I’ve seen public statements from a couple of Republicans, incoming Republicans, but I don’t know that anyone is committed to doing it,” Thune said.
Incoming Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has indicated he would support such an effort.
