The Senate, shaken by a four-hour Capitol siege, overwhelmingly rejected a challenge to the results of Arizona’s certification of the presidential election following impassioned speeches demanding lawmakers end their efforts to derail the results.
The vote was 6-93 to overturn the results of the Arizona electors. Those voting in favor were Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Roger Marshall of Kansas, and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.
Lawmakers in both parties demanded an end to the challenge to up to six battleground states whose election results President Trump is contesting.
Arizona, the first alphabetically on the list, took all day after both chambers were forced to evacuate because protesters breached police barriers and stormed the Capitol. The vote took place at 10 p.m. and quickly showed most lawmakers had no interest in entertaining the objections that had been put forward by a group of House and Senate Republicans.
Several of those initially planning to protest dropped their plan, including Sen. Kelly Loeffler, a Georgia Republican defeated in a runoff election on Tuesday.
Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican and longtime foe of Trump, told the chamber any senator who continues to object to Joe Biden’s victory “will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy.”
Protesters earlier took control of the Senate chamber and attempted to penetrate the House chamber by smashing its antique glass doors, forcing law enforcement to point their guns at the group.
The Senate and House are scheduled to reconvene in a joint session, but it’s not clear if there will be more objections before Biden is certified the winner.
The House continues to debate Arizona’s contested results.
