With the vote of the Electoral College Monday, many of the congressional GOP or Grand Old Party leaders who for weeks have resisted referring to Joe Biden as president-elect are now acknowledging the contest for the White House is over.
Biden has officially secured the presidency after the 55 votes from California's electors put him above the 270-threshold needed to win. Electoral College members cast their ballots on Monday.
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With the vote of the Electoral College Monday, many of the congressional GOP or Grand Old Party leaders who for weeks have resisted referring to Joe Biden as president-elect are now acknowledging the contest for the White House is over.
GOP is now more famous as Republican Party. They are one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with its historic rival, the Democratic Party.
The No. 2 Senate Republican John Thune of South Dakota said, "It's time for everybody to move on. While there is an opportunity for lawmakers to contest the electors' votes, that effort is "not going anywhere."
Further, he said. "I understand there are people who feel strongly about the outcome of this election, but in the end, at some point, you have to face the music,"
President-elect Biden thanked the Republicans who have now recognized his victory in an address Monday night. "I'm pleased but not surprised by the number of my former Republican colleagues in the Senate who've acknowledged already the results of the Electoral College," he said. "I thank them, and I'm convinced that we can work together for the good of the nation on many subjects."
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has yet to say Biden was the winner, did not comment on Monday.
Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, another member of the GOP leadership, said, "the electoral vote today was significant. We've met the constitutional threshold, and we'll deal with Vice President Biden as the president-elect." Blunt is the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies chairman.
Last week, he joined with the other GOP members of that panel in blocking a resolution acknowledging preparations for Biden's swearing-in. In a separate statement on Monday, he said the committee would "work with President-elect Biden and his Presidential Inaugural Committee to plan for the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20."
Ohio GOP Senator Rob Portman said President Trump had had a chance to contest the results. Yet, said in a statement, "The orderly transfer of power is a hallmark of our democracy, and although I supported President Trump, the Electoral College vote today makes clear that Joe Biden is now President-Elect."
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Even one of Trump's most avid allies, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, shared that he had spoken to Biden on the phone. "I told him, there are things we can do together, there are some things we can't do together. It was a very pleasant conversation," Graham said.
GOP Senator John Cornyn of Texas, told reporters "Contesting the electors' votes in Congress would be "futile and unnecessary" and that such an effort, if made, would be voted down overwhelmingly."
Other GOP Senators who already acknowledged Biden as the U.S. next president included Chuck Grassley, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.
All these show that GOP leaders are now keen to work with President-elect Biden after the affirmation.
