Wyoming’s new senator is taking a bold first step by opposing electoral college votes in the same week she was sworn in.
On Sunday, Cynthia Lummis was officially sworn in as Wyoming’s junior U.S. Senator. On Wednesday, she stands in opposition to the certification of President-elect Joseph Biden’s electoral votes.
Lummis added her name to a list of a dozen Republican senators taking a stance on election integrity. As such, they are asking the Senate to reject the results of the 2020 Presidential Election until a 10-day emergency audit is conducted.
In a joint statement released by Senator Ted Cruz – to which Lummis signed her name – the rationale is that the election was plagued with” unprecedented allegations of voter fraud, violations and lax enforcement of election law, and other voting irregularities.”
“Voter fraud has posed a persistent challenge in our elections, although its breadth and scope are disputed,” the statement reads. “By any measure, the allegations of fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election exceed any in our lifetimes And those allegations are not believed just by one individual candidate. Instead, they are widespread. Reuters/Ipsos polling, tragically, shows that 39% of Americans believe ‘the election was rigged.’ That belief is held by Republicans (67%), Democrats (17%), and Independents (31%).”
An open challenge to reject state electors can only proceed if it is jointly requested by at least one member of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Over 140 U.S. representatives have pledged to oppose certifying the election, ensuring that the matter must be considered in both houses of Congress.
Wyoming representative Liz Cheney – just elected to a second term and currently serving as GOP Conference Chair – has not added her name to this list. She has openly said that she opposes the move and a challenge to electoral college votes sets “an exceptionally dangerous precedent” in a memo sent to House Republicans.
Both Cheney and Lummis were sworn in on Sunday, Jan. 3.
Wyoming’s senior senator John Barrasso hasn’t said anything publicly about the plan to reject electoral college votes, but it can be assumed that he too opposes the move. Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell tried to ensure there would be no dissent amongst Republican senators, calling such a vote “the most consequential” of his career. He was unable to stop the objections.
Regardless of numbers or intentions, the move is largely symbolic. Both chambers have to agree by a vote for an objection to be sustained and a recount to proceed, which will not happen between the Republican-controlled Senate and Democrat-controlled House.
President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, Jan. 20.
