These Republicans publicly recognize Biden’s legitimacy as president-elect

by



[ad_1]

Several other Republicans, however, have taken a different approach, acknowledging to varying degrees that Biden will indeed become the 46th president on January 20, 2021. Here’s a look at what they say.

Former President George W. Bush

Bush called on Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Sunday, a day after the start of the race, to congratulate them, he said in a statement.

Bush, who is the only living former Republican president, noted that Trump “has the right to demand recounts and pursue legal proceedings,” but said Biden’s victory was clear.

“The American people can be confident that this election was fundamentally fair, their integrity will be maintained and the outcome is clear,” he said.

Bush praises Biden, says election was 'fundamentally fair' and 'his outcome is clear'

Karl Rove, the architect of Bush’s election and presidential campaigns

Rove, who is credited with helping Bush win his presidential and gubernatorial campaigns, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the election would not be called off regardless of the legal difficulties Trump is facing. ascend.

Although he did not praise Biden or even refer to him as president-elect in his article, Rove is clear that while Trump has the right to challenge the results, his efforts “are unlikely. to move just one state from Mr. Biden’s Chronicle, and they’re certainly not enough to change the end result. “

Rove, who advised the White House and the Trump campaign in the run-up to the 2020 election, said for the president to win he would need to “prove systemic fraud, with illegal votes in the tens of thousands “, but no such evidence currently exists.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine

DeWine, who endorsed Trump for a second term, told CNN’s John Berman on “New Day” on Thursday after the race appealed to Biden that “we must consider the former vice president to be the president-elect.” .

“Joe Biden is the president-elect,” he said.

Although the governor said that Trump and his campaign had “every right” to press charges against the election results, he said he did not know the merits of the Trump campaign case and it appears that Biden will be the next occupant of the White House. .

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan

Hogan, a moderate Republican who did not support Trump’s re-election bid, congratulated Biden on his intended victory soon after, he was called by the news agencies.

The governor told CNN’s Jake Tapper the next day that Trump “should at least admit that he” will eventually concede. He then slammed Trump for blocking the presidential transition during the coroanvirus pandemic, saying, “Without a stimulus package, without further relief from the virus, you know, that’s crazy. We have to move on.”

Republican governor of Ohio says 'we have to consider' President-elect Biden

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker

Baker, who also did not support Trump’s re-election campaign, praised Biden and Harris in a series of tweets Saturday afternoon.
Although Baker argued that if “the courts get involved, they must act quickly to make factual and legitimate decisions,” he called the president’s election fraud allegations “baseless” and, like Hogan, criticized Trump for blocking the transition amid the pandemic.

Senator for Maine Susan Collins

Collins, a moderate Republican who has not endorsed Trump this year, is among a small list of Senate Republicans who praised Biden.
“Presidential transitions are important, and the president-elect and vice-president-elect should have every chance to ensure they are ready to govern on January 20,” Collins said in a statement.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski

Murkowski praised Biden and Harris in a declaration hours after the race call.

The moderate Republican senator also stressed that the presidential transition process “is fundamental to our democratic system and ultimately honors the American people.”

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney

Romney, who did not vote for Trump in the election, called on the nation to “get behind” Biden as president-elect on Sunday, and said he had seen no evidence of widespread voter fraud .

“I believe, however, that it is destructive for the cause of democracy to suggest widespread fraud or corruption. There is simply no evidence of that at this point,” Tapper Romney, who was the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, on “the State of the Union.”

Nebraska Sen. Ben sasse

Sasse extended his congratulations to Biden and Harris in a statement to the Omaha World-Herald in which he said he prayed Biden and Trump “would be wise in the performance of their respective duties during this important time in our country” .
Senior Republican senators say Biden should have access to classified briefings

Oklahoma Senator James Lankford

Although Lankford did not refer to Biden as the president-elect of Capitol Hill, he used that title when discussing Biden’s election last weekend at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, where he loves. The senator also made the news this week saying he would intervene if the Trump administration had not allowed Biden access to daily presidential intelligence briefings by the end of the week, indicating that he considered the former vice president as Trump’s legitimate successor.

The Oklahoma senator has defended the president’s numerous legal disputes, saying the best thing right now is for Trump to go through the legal process and “get real answers” before the electoral college votes in December .

Republicans suggest presidential transition process should begin

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley

Grassley, who as pro tempore president is the oldest Republican in the chamber, also did not explicitly acknowledge that Biden was the president-elect, but he also argued that the former vice president should have access daily presidential intelligence briefings.

“I think – especially on classified briefings – the answer is yes,” Grassley told CNN.

Asked whether the General Service Administration should approve the required documents declaring that there was an elected president and triggering the transition process, Grassley said “we have to do what we did” after the contested election of 2000.

South Dakota, Senator John Thune

Thune, who serves as Senate Majority Whip, also told CNN that Biden should have access to classified briefings, but he also refrained from referring to his former Senate colleague as as elected president.

“Well, I think it probably makes sense to be prepared for all eventualities,” Thune said when asked if Biden should be given briefings. “And as these electoral challenges are unfolding in court, I have no problem with, and I think it’s important from a national security perspective, continuity. And you’ve seen other members suggest that. I think that makes sense.

South Carolina, Senator Lindsey Graham

Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and one of Trump’s closest GOP allies, told CNN he believes Biden should receive intelligence briefings now.

Graham said he had not expressed his thoughts with the White House, but said, “I hope,” when asked if he expects Biden to receive the briefings soon.

Ohio Senator Rob Portman

Portman said he didn’t think it “would hurt” for Biden to start receiving the briefings now, joining the growing chorus of GOP senators calling for this aspect of the transition process to begin.

South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds

Rounds said Biden should have access to classified briefings “for the purpose of protecting the interests of our nation.”

“At this point, just to protect the interests of our nations, I think the president and his competitors here, Vice President Biden, should have access to these confidential reports,” he said.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley

Hawley also said that Biden “should definitely receive intelligence briefings” while Trump’s legal challenges unfold.

Texas Senator John Cornyn

Cornyn, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, also said Biden should have access to important classified information.

“Whether he’s actually getting the product himself, I think the information has to be communicated somehow,” Cornyn said, referring to the president’s daily memo.

CNN’s Chandelis Duster, Eric Bradner, Veronica Stracqualursi, Paul LeBlanc, Sahar Akbarzai, Jennifer Henderson, Alison Main, Caroline Kelly and Manu Raju contributed to this report.



[ad_2]

Source link