These 7 California Republicans voted to challenge Joe Biden’s election

Seven California Republicans voted to dispute President-elect Joe Biden’s win late Wednesday and early Thursday after a mob of activists for President Donald Trump overwhelmed the Capitol and disrupted the process of certifying the election.

Far-right senators and representatives objected to the election results in two swing states — Arizona and Pennsylvania — though their attempts were unsuccessful and Congress certified Biden’s win in Thursday’s early hours.

A majority of House Republicans objected to both states’ election results, including a majority of California Republicans. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, was the most prominent of the California Republicans who challenged the election results.

In addition to him, Reps. Doug LaMalfa, R-Oroville, Jay Obernolte, R-Hesperia, Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, Ken Calvert, R-Corona, and Darrell Issa, R-San Marcos, all objected to certifying both states’ election results.

Only LaMalfa and Garcia explained their decisions prior to the certification votes.

“I have no interest in overturning any election solely based on allegations. I do want the allegations to be investigated before Congress gives a final approval to the results,” LaMalfa said. “The court should have reviewed these claims, they didn’t.”

Courts heard the lawsuits and complaints of President Donald Trump’s campaign, but the campaign did not provide evidence of widespread voter fraud in its many suits. All of those lawsuits have either been withdrawn or thrown out by courts, up to and including the Supreme Court.

California Republican Reps. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, and Young Kim, R-Fullerton, voted to certify the election results of both states. Newly elected Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, and Congressman-elect David Valadao, R-Hanford, were not present at the vote due to positive COVID-19 tests.

Valadao said in a statement Wednesday that he did not support disputing the election results.

“The role of Congress as defined by the Constitution is to count the votes certified by the states. It is not the role of Congress to choose who the states certify,” Valadao said. “Only states have the authority to appoint electors.”

Congress certifying Biden’s win came after a long day at the Capitol, that saw armed rioters force their way into the Capitol past law enforcement. Members of Congress had to be evacuated from the House and Senate chambers, and there appeared to be an armed standoff at an entrance to the House floor. Members of Congress and the press were given gas masks and told tear gas had been deployed in the halls.

One woman was shot and killed during the violence. Police deactivated a pipe bomb found at the Republican National Committee office, while the nearby headquarters of the Democratic National Committee was evacuated due to a suspicious package.

The rioters also invaded and vandalized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, in addition to breaking windows, trashing other parts of the Capitol and carrying Trump and confederate flags through its halls. They hung Trump flags from the Capitol balconies and chanted “stop the steal,” which President Trump has used as a rallying cry while claiming without evidence that the election was stolen from him.

But following Congress’ certification and the turmoil of Wednesday, Trump said early Thursday that there would be a peaceful transition of power on Jan. 20, while still baselessly claiming that facts supported that the election was stolen.

“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted,” Trump said in a statement. “While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it’s only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!”