President Donald Trump on Thursday urged senators to object to electoral votes during next month’s joint session of Congress.
Sharing an article about Tuberville’s comments, Trump wrote on Twitter: “That’s because he is a great champion and man of courage.”
“More Republican Senators should follow his lead. We had a landslide victory, and then it was swindled away from the Republican Party—but we caught them. Do something!” Trump added.
In another post, he wrote that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and GOP senators “have to get tougher, or you won’t have a Republican Party anymore.”
“We won the Presidential Election, by a lot. FIGHT FOR IT. Don’t let them take it away!” said Trump, who is contesting the election results.
McConnell’s office didn’t respond to an inquiry. The GOP leader began calling Joe Biden president-elect on Tuesday, sparking threats that the “Stop the Steal” movement will launch primaries against Republican senators who don’t support Trump.
“You see what’s coming. You’ve been reading about it in the House. We’re going to have to do it in the Senate,” Tuberville said.
“You just don’t jump out there and decide you’re going to throw a ‘Hail Mary’ pass—or a halfback pass. You’ve got to have a reason why you’re doing it. There’s no doubt I’m a huge Donald Trump guy, as most people in the state of Alabama are,” he said, adding that he plans on meeting with Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.).
Tuberville’s campaign chairman said on a radio show this week that Tuberville and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) were “the two best candidates” to challenge the results from the Senate. Tuberville is “ seriously considering it,” Stan McDonald said.
In 2004, Democrats Stephanie Tubb Jones and Barbara Boxer teamed up to object to Ohio’s electoral votes, but the objection was overwhelmingly voted down. Democrat representatives tried challenging results in 2016 but no senators deigned to join them.
Other Republicans, including the Senate GOP leadership team, have dismissed plans to object to the votes.
Republicans hold a 50-48 majority in the Senate next Congress, with two Georgia runoff elections slated to take place the day before the joint session. Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) are battling for reelection.
The House is controlled by Democrats now and will be still in the next Congress.
No Democrats have said they'll support the objections.