RALEIGH, N.C. — Democrat Joe Biden was declared the victor in the presidential race a month ago by major media organizations, and last week, he officially grabbed enough electoral votes to win the race. But you wouldn't know that talking with Republican members of Congress from North Carolina.
Not a single Republican member of Congress from the state is willing to say they'll accept the vote of the Electoral College next week.
Biden defeated Republican President Donald Trump by more than 7 million votes, yet Trump continues to wage battles in the courts and on social media claiming that he actually won and that Democrats are using rampant fraud to steal the election.
WRAL News contacted all 10 Republican U.S. House members and U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr on Monday to ask whether they believe Biden has won and whether they will accept him as the legitimate president if he wins the majority of the electoral votes on Dec. 14.
Spokespersons for 5th District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, 7th District Congressman David Rouzer, 8th District Congressman Richard Hudson, 9th District Congressman Dan Bishop and 13th District Congressman Ted Budd responded without answering the questions. Most issued statements calling for election integrity and saying all claims of fraud need to be investigated.
The other seven didn't even respond.
Meredith College political science professor David McLennan said it's unprecedented for almost an entire party to refuse to acknowledge the outcome of an election.
"I think the silence speaks a lot about the state of the Republican Party and the fear in which they’re operating under," McLennan said.
McLennan said congressional Republicans have watched Trump cut ties with anyone who isn't in step with his version of what happened in the election.
"They’re just unwilling to say they’re going to accept Joe Biden as president while the president is threatening the governor of Georgia, the secretary of state of Georgia and many other Republicans around the country who are being threatened for simply doing their job," he said.
Even after Trump leaves the White House, he'll still wield a lot of influence over the Republican base," McLennan said, adding that the president's formidable fundraising could become a weapon against anyone speaking out.
"Just look a the amount of money he’s raised since Election Day for the defense fund or his victory PAC, whatever one you want ot talk about," he said. "He’s raised over $200 million. I think that could be used to run primary candidates against some of the Republicans if they were more outspoken."
Congress still has to certify the Electoral College result on Jan. 6, as required by law. Hudson will respect the outcome at that point, according to his spokesman, while Budd will then "reevaluate" his position, his spokesman said.
McLennan said he believes there will be a slow move to acceptance by Republicans after Inauguration Day.
