Trump Said He Spoke With Sen.-Elect Tuberville, Who Has Weighed a Challenge to Electoral Votes

President Donald Trump departs on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Dec. 12, 2020. Al Drago/Getty Images

President Donald Trump has spoken to Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), after Tuberville said he was mulling whether to join representatives next month in filing a challenge to electoral votes.

“I spoke to a great gentlemen Tommy Tuberville last night, and he was so excited. He said, ‘You made me the most popular politician in the United States.’ He said, ‘I can’t believe it.’ He’s great. Great senator,” Trump said on WABC radio.

Tuberville, who unseated Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), suggested earlier this month that he would challenge electoral votes when a joint session of Congress meets on Jan. 6, 2021, to count them.

A challenge must have the backing of at least one member of the House and one senator to trigger a debate and votes by each chamber.

Tuberville told an Alabama outlet on Thursday after the video emerged that he’s “doing my due diligence” through the Christmas holiday.

“I want to do what’s best for President Trump and the people of Alabama and the people of this country. They asked me, ‘Are you going to support President Trump?’ And, of course, I’m always going to support President Trump. He’s the best president of my lifetime and has done more for the people of this country and the state of Alabama than anybody. But we want to make sure we do the right thing,” he said.

Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) in Washington on Nov. 9, 2020. Stefani Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Tuberville said he will probably meet with Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), the first person who will be in the House next month that committed to challenging votes.

Brooks said on C-Span’s “Washington Journal” that he plans on challenging votes from states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin, where the count is in question because of irregularities and possible fraud.

“Their election systems are so flawed so as to render results on trustworthy,” he said.

The group of members and members-elect who plan to challenge has gotten bigger. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a staunch Trump ally, joined it on Friday.

“I’m joining with the fighters in the Congress, and we are going to object to electors from states that didn’t run clean elections,” Gaetz told a crowd in Florida.

On the senate side, Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have said they aren’t ruling it out. That number is smaller then the senators who have ruled it out, including Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has declared victory in the election, while Trump is contesting results in key states. The Epoch Times is not calling the race at this time.

Trump recently urged more Republican senators to follow Tuberville’s lead.

“We had a landslide victory, and then it was swindled away from the Republican Party—but we caught them. Do something!” Trump said. “We won the Presidential Election, by a lot. FIGHT FOR IT. Don’t let them take it away!”