At least 2 California congressmen are objecting to Biden’s victory. Will others join them?

Republicans in both the House and Senate say they will object to certifying election results in certain swing states on Wednesday, attempting to deny President-elect Joe Biden’s election win — but California GOP House members are so far reluctant to say they’ll go along.

One, Rep. Tom McClintock, says he’ll oppose the effort, even though he was one of the 126 House Republicans who last month supported a lawsuit aimed at overturning the result.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, has signaled his support for debating certain states’ election results. His office did not respond to McClatchy’s questions on additional explanations for why he supports the plan to dispute state results led by Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Alabama, in the House.

“I think it’s right that we have the debate,” McCarthy told The Hill on Sunday. “I mean, you see now that senators are going to object, the House is going to object — how else do we have a way to change the election problems?”

The effort to throw out the election results is almost certain to fail, since Democrats have a House majority and though the party only has 48 of the Senate’s 100 seats, several Republicans said they would vote against changing the outcome.

This is not the first time that members of both the House and the Senate have objected to a state’s election results. But it’s an unprecedented situation in both the number of elected officials who are participating and President Donald Trump’s frequent assertions that he actually won the election.

Trump’s campaign has not backed up any of its accusations of widespread election fraud with evidence. Actual cases of proven voter fraud are on an incredibly small scale, and are not enough to flip any of the states that Biden won.

California Democrats are all expected to vote to certify election results, but many California House Republicans aren’t giving away their plans. Here’s what they’ve said.

Doug LaMalfa

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Oroville, Tuesday said he plans to challenge certification of Biden’s victory.

“The circumstances surrounding this Presidential election point to a fraudulent outcome,” he tweeted in November. “The reports we’ve seen of non-residents, deceased voters, potential mail fraud, and partisan poll watching are deeply concerning, and must be challenged.”

He said he believed courts in the dozens of election lawsuits Trump lost had not adequately resolved his concerns.

LaMalfa also joined the 126 House Republicans last month who supported the lawsuit by Texas and other states challenging the election’s results. The Supreme Court rejected the suit.

Tom McClintock

Rep. McClintock, R-Elk Grove, remains wary of how the 2020 presidential election was decided and signed on to last month’s effort to overturn the election — but this week he’s urging Congress to accept the outcome.

He plans to vote against his GOP colleagues’ objections to the electoral vote.

“If the Congress can refuse to count electoral votes – for whatever reason – then it has the inherent power to seize the decision for itself and render the Electoral College superfluous.”

After all, he said, “If the Founders had intended to give this power to the Congress, why did they go to all the fuss and bother of designing an Electoral College at all?”

And really, McClintock asked, “does anyone seriously believe that a body of 535 intensely partisan politicians is a safe repository for the power to adjudicate the integrity of the vote?”

Jay Obernolte

Newly elected Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Hesperia, did not respond to McClatchy’s questions about where he stands on the vote.

David Valadao

Congressman-elect David Valadao, R-Hanford, has not been sworn in to his position because he tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. He has been isolating since then and missed the opening of Congress.

He won’t be able to assume his position in time to vote to certify or dispute election results.

“Congressman-Elect Valadao was not sworn into office on Jan. 3,” spokeswoman Faith Vander Voort said. “He will return to Washington when it is safe for him to do so. Members may not cast a vote until they are sworn in.”

Vander Voort said Valadao would have a statement about the vote on Wednesday.

Devin Nunes

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, did not respond to a request for comment on whether he plans to dispute election results Wednesday.

Nunes has been a staunch supporter of Trump and has publicly talked about concerns over voter fraud. But he did not sign on to the unsuccessful lawsuit by Texas and other states challenging the election’s results last month.

Young Kim

Newly elected Rep. Young Kim, R-Fullerton, said Tuesday “The electoral college has voted and I will respect their vote.”

She said Trump “has the right to challenge the election results through the legal, constitutional system, and we know Joe Biden would do the same if he had concerns. If evidence of wrongdoing is uncovered, it should be investigated by the proper authorities.”

But Kim said the process has played itself out. “The American people have voted, states have certified their elections and courts have made their rulings. It is Congress’s job to count the votes cast by electors each state selects. The Constitution does not give Congress the authority to overturn elections. To take such action would undermine the authority of the states.‘

Mike Garcia

Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, said Monday that he would vote to reject certain states’ election results, citing “enough evidence of compromised processes and break downs in election integrity by certain state legislatures that do in fact warrant a closer examination.”

He said public officials in “at least six states” have “failed the nation.”

“The vote on 6 January is not about Trump versus Biden or left versus right,” he added. “It is about seeking assured security. Assured security not only for the last election but more importantly for future elections,” he said.

Ken Calvert

The office of Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, said Tuesday he was “waiting to see which states’ electoral votes are objected to and wants to hear the debate before voting.”

Michelle Steel

Newly elected Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, did not respond to a request for comment.

Darrell Issa

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-San Marcos, did not respond to a request for comment. He was newly elected to Congress this year, after he retired a previous California House seat going into the 2018 election.