Congress on Monday licensed President-elect Trump’s electoral victory, formally cementing his win over Vice President Harris forward of his inauguration with no objections from any lawmakers as a tally of states was learn on the Home flooring.
Trump captured the presidency with 312 electoral votes to Harris’s 226 — a complete that was confirmed throughout the certification on Monday, marking the ultimate step within the election course of earlier than Trump formally takes again the White Home on Jan. 20.
Republicans gave a standing ovation within the chamber when Harris introduced Trump’s victory was now licensed. A bipartisan standing ovation broke out within the Home chamber after Harris declared the joint session of Congress dissolved. The occasion lasted about half-hour earlier than Harris gaveled it out.
Harris presided over the occasion, donning a business-like or expressionless demeanor and shunned any applause. The proceedings went off with out a hitch. Not like Trump’s 2016 win, no Democratic lawmakers tried to dam certification of his victory.
A variety of lawmakers aided within the rely, together with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Reps. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) and Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) Vice President-elect JD Vance was additionally seated within the chamber throughout the rely.
The proceedings additionally marked a full 180-degree flip from 4 years in the past, when rioters stormed the Capitol to attempt to halt the certification of President Biden’s victory over Trump, who had spent weeks pushing false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.
Trump, who 4 years in the past stewed within the White Home and opted to not converse out or intervene because the violence unfolded, spent Monday at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida because the certification performed out with out a lot fanfare. The president-elect known as it a “big moment in history” hours earlier than lawmakers arrived to certify the outcomes.
In a video launched forward of the certification, Harris hailed the “peaceful transfer of power” as a bedrock of U.S. democracy, calling her responsibility a “sacred obligation.”
“As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile,” Harris stated. “And it is up to each of us to stand up for our most cherished principles.”
Regardless of the affair being largely symbolic, there was some drama surrounding the occasion. A snowstorm hit Washington in a single day, creating complications for lawmakers making an attempt to return to the Capitol for the certification.
The certification needed to go ahead as altering the date because of the climate would have required a brand new legislation because the Jan. 6 date is written into federal statute.
Capitol Hill was additionally on excessive alert safety smart after the occasions of 4 years in the past, main fencing to be erected across the Capitol complicated and a visibly-higher presence by police all through Senate and Home workplace buildings and the Capitol itself.
Trump on the marketing campaign path repeatedly sought to rewrite the historical past of the occasions of 4 years in the past. He bragged in regards to the dimension of the Jan. 6 crowd, known as it a “day of love” and stated protesters that day had “love in their heart.”
At a number of Trump rallies, a rendition of the nationwide anthem sung by these imprisoned for his or her actions that day performed over the audio system. Pardoning these charged in reference to Jan. 6 was a serious marketing campaign pledge, and Trump has signaled he’ll comply with by on his first day in workplace.
