Leading Democrats said they have no plans to object to the certification of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory on Jan. 6, 2025. “They also anticipate that Vice President Kamala Harris will lead the joint session of Congress to count Trump’s presidential electors precisely the way her predecessors have, taking no active role in the proceedings and tallying the results certified by the states. The result: a quick and simple transfer of power that will culminate on Jan. 20 when Trump takes the oath of office,” Politico reported after speaking with several top Republicans and Democrats.
“I think you’re going to have a pretty sort of normal transfer, and I think we will respect the wishes of the American people … in contrast to what happened January 6, 2021,” Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House committee tasked with overseeing elections, told the outlet. “I do feel like that’s worth saying over and over again.”
That said, there still could be a problem with certifying the election, and it would be the fault of Republicans. The first order of business for the new House when it convenes on Jan. 3 is the election of Speaker, and already there are signs that the slim GOP majority in the lower chamber could balk at doing so following anger of Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) handling of the recent spending bill.
Johnson appeared poised for an easy victory in securing a full term as Speaker until last week. He had successfully unified his divided conference, gained support from critics, and secured votes for what seemed to be a clear path to his first full term. However, his approach to spending negotiations and an initial deal with Democrats sparked backlash among conservatives, with some calling for a new Speaker. Adding to the tension, former President Trump issued direct threats regarding Johnson’s position as Speaker.
After all Democrats have said they will vote for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York to become Speaker, Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican in order to be denied a full term — and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already said he won’t support Johnson, while other House Republicans have remained uncommitted.
Politico added, “The vice president, who serves as president of the Senate, is constitutionally required to fulfill this role, with limited exceptions. In 2000, Al Gore brushed aside Democrats’ protests to certify George W. Bush as the victor. In 2016, Biden told a handful objecting Democrats that it ‘is over’ and ushered in the first Trump presidency. And in 2020, Mike Pence resisted a crushing pressure campaign from Trump — and a violent riot — and followed in his predecessors’ footsteps.”
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