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Republican lawmakers planning to run for president in 2024 spent weeks in urgent discussions with advisers as they called for big stakes on whether to support objections to this week’s congressional certification of the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.
Why is this important: Republican sources tell Axios that these lawmakers see Wednesday’s vote as potentially decisive for their political viability, as do the 2004 Democratic candidates set on the 2002 Iraq war vote.
What we hear: Senses Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz bet that the objection will win the support of MAGA devotees; Meaning. Tom Cotton, Mike lee and, to some extent, Vice President Mike Pence is concerned about the long-term damage to American democracy. They hope GOP voters appreciate their big picture.
In the margin: Other 2024 hopefuls, like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, have the luxury of not participating in this fight, given they have no role in it. the joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
A split screen of Lee and Cruz campaigning in Georgia over the weekend highlighted a division.
- Sources present say that Cruz used a good chunk of his time to detail his plan to oppose the Electoral College results – a diversion from the boost the Texan was supposed to give to Republican candidates David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
- Lee, who announced today that he will not oppose, kept the focus on the candidates. Utahan has avoided any conversation regarding voter fraud.
Cotton Sunday statement against the protest reflected another tactic: pro-Trump dissent. The Arkansan and undisputed supporter of Trump argues the myopia of this decision and hopes the grassroots will understand it.
- While Trump regularly vilifies his opponents, Cotton is a veteran and a hawk who has been squarely in the president’s corner throughout his tenure – until now.
- Cotton is betting that enough Republican primary voters recognize that a challenge to voter certification could backfire on the party.
- It is a risky bet, because it already taking heat from the president and his supporters.
Pence is in a more difficult situation, and he can define a third model for pro-Trump dissent by certifying Biden’s victory.
- Pence, who will chair Wednesday’s proceedings, did not say whether he would oppose any results.
- A Saturday statement from his chief of staff, Marc Short, simply said the vice president “shares the concerns of millions of Americans about electoral fraud and irregularities.”
- The comments were seen more as a diversion during the pose.
The bottom line: Leading Republicans fear Georgian voters won’t turn to Perdue and Loeffler – though they’ve been excited by false allegations Biden ‘stole’ the election – because they don’t trust the integrity of the election.
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