House, Senate Reject Challenges to Electoral College Votes From Arizona

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) speaks as the House of Representatives reconvenes to continue the process of certifying the 2020 Electoral College results, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2020. Erin Schaff/Pool via Reuters

The House of Representatives and Senate late Wednesday voted against a move to object to Arizona’s electoral votes.

The chambers each voted on the measure following a breach by a group of protesters of the Capitol building while other protesters were gathered outside. It is unclear who instigated the breach of the building.

The Senate overwhelmingly voted 93-6 against the objection to the counting of a slate of 11 presidential electors from Arizona for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

All votes in favor to the objection came from Republicans. They were Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

In the House, 303-121 voted against the objection.

Both chambers were set to reconvene their joint session.

Earlier during the joint session of Congress, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and Cruz objected to Arizona’s 11 electoral votes, triggering debates by each chamber and a vote.

More than 60 Republican House representatives joined Gosar and Cruz to object to the slate of votes for Biden, leading to a pause in the joint session and separate, concurrent debates in the two chambers. The objection requires a majority vote from both chambers to pass.