Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., implored his fellow Congress members to forego objections to the certification of the 2020 presidential election, calling the proceedings a “stain on democracy.”
Indiana Sen. Mike Braun, who had originally planned to object to the electoral college votes submitted to Congress on Wednesday, has changed his mind after a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, sending lawmakers fleeing for shelter.
Braun, one of 13 senators who had planned to object to the votes, said that he wanted to “get this ugly day behind us,” and that he would withdraw his planned objections to the electoral votes from contested states.
“Today’s events changed things dramatically,” the senator said in a statement. “Though I will continue to push for a thorough investigation into the election irregularities many Hoosiers are concerned with as my objection was intended, I have withdrawn that objection and will vote to get this ugly day behind us.”
Braun was one of several senators who withdrew their plans to object to the electoral college votes, including Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who is projected to have lost her re-election bid this week, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Montana Sen. Steve Daines.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and newly elected Sen. Tommy Tuberville from Alabama were among Republican senators who voted to uphold the objections, which failed by a 93-6 vote in the Senate.
House Democrats voted unanimously against the objections, while 121 Republican lawmakers voted to approve the objection, with 83 voting against.
