GOP's Biden vote revolt is atypical challenge for McConnell

 Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell thinks it’s dangerous for his party to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s election triumph. But some Republicans are charging ahe anyway , and this time McConnell is facing dynamics he can’t fully control.

Despite Kentucky Republican’s opposition, 13 GOP senators have said y will join scores of ir House colleagues Wednesday and object when Congress formally affirms Biden’s Electoral College victory . effort, certain to fail, has been spurred by soundly defeated President Donald Trump as an unjustified, last-gasp effort to override election results, which all 50 states have alrey certified.

McConnell has warned his colleagues that showdown is risky because it will force GOP senators, including those in potentially tough 2022 reelections, to decide wher to support or oppose tweet-happy Trump in a fight y are sure to lose. In mid-December, McConnell privately warned m that pressing issue would force a “terrible vote,” even as he publicly congratulated Democrat Biden for his win, igring Trump's refusal to concede.

To drive home his views, GOP aides say McConnell plans to be first speaker when initial objection is raised during Wednesday's joint session of Congress and senators return to ir chamber for a two-hour debate and vote. McConnell has also me clear Senate will meet all night if necessary to handle all objections, aides said.

McConnell has actively avoided confrontation with Trump whenever possible, but he is plainly fed up with Trump chaos. His remarks Wednesday are sure to leave doubt how seriously he views vote, which goes to heart of orderly transfer of power in American democracy.

But McConnell can't prevent objections, which are allowed by Constitution and federal law if one representative and one senator challenge a state's electoral votes. He's also facing overpowering political dynamics, including some senators' expected 2024 presidential ambitions, ors' desire to protect mselves from 2022 primaries prompted by an offended Trump, and temptation to use fight to raise money and buttress support from Trump's ardent followers.

“You've got people who'd like to be presidential candidates who are acting in best interests of being candidates," said David Winston, a political viser to congressional GOP leers.

Trump’s claims of voter fraud, which he began lodging months before Election Day, have been rejected by Republican and Democratic officials in state after state and numerous judges, including conservative-dominated Supreme Court. Trump’s former attorney general, William Barr, has said re is evidence of fraud that could change election outcome.

Freshman Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has said he will challenge Pennsylvania's electoral votes. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, leing a group of 11 senators who want to create a commission to examine groundless allegations of election fraud, is expected to challenge Arizona's votes. Both men are expected to run for president in 2024.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., may also challenge results in her state. Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia were all pivotal states that Biden won on his way to his 306-232 Electoral College win.

Spokesman David Popp said McConnell is t pressuring colleagues to vote with him. But he's me his views clear, last week telling GOP senators that he considers vote most consequential of his career and sharing his views with numerous colleagues who've sought him out.

His most powerful allies are with him, with GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota earning a Twitter threat from Trump after predicting Senate effort would “go down like a shot dog.”

McConnell is trying to steer his colleagues to a conservative argument that Congress shouldn't overrule states' election decisions. He's gained momentum in recent days, winning support from influential members including moderate Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and conservative Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa.

Aides expect a majority of GOP senators to join McConnell and all Democrats in shooting down electoral vote challenges. Cotton is considered ar presidential contender.

McConnell, 78, has served as Republican leer since 2007 and is longest-serving Senate GOP leer in history.

McConnell hasn’t shied from past battles with party’s conservative base. He’s won more than t lately, but in 2010 and 2012 fringe GOP candidates in Neva, Coloro and Indiana appeared to cost party seats. But he turned tide in 2014, beating back a primary challenge of his own and leing GOP to Senate control after eight years in mirity.

Cruz's group includes all four freshmen Senate Republicans, a troubling sign for McConnell as stalwart allies like Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Pat Roberts, R-Kan., have retired. Each freshman pledged fealty to Trump in ir campaigns and are casting first vote of ir Senate careers in line with Trump’s wishes.

In an earlier day, freshmen might have been more inclined to side with establishment leership figures who are likely to be more important than a departing president.