Top Democrats 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,” said Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House committee tasked with overseeing elections. “I do feel like that’s worth saying over and over again.”
One problem could happen, and it has to do with Republicans.
Since last week’s spending bill mess, conservatives have said they don’t think Mike Johnson should still be speaker.
That House vote is set for January 3, and a long fight could delay certifying Trump’s victory.
When the new Congress meets on January 3, the first thing they have to do is choose a speaker. This person will then be in charge of swearing in the other members and making rules for the body.
Johnson looked like he was going to easily win a full term until last week. He had unified the support of his divided conference, won over his critics, and lined up votes for what he thinks will be his first full term.
But his handling of talks about spending and an original deal with Democrats led to a backlash from conservatives, and some even called for a new speaker. Trump also made direct threats about Johnson’s job as speaker.
As expected, all Democrats will vote for Leader Hakeem Jeffries. If former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) keeps his promise not to run for office again, Johnson can only need one Republican vote against him.
That’s now a real possibility—Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already said he will vote against him, and other Republicans aren’t sure yet.
A fight for speaker could last days, making it unclear whether the House will be able to count Electoral College votes. What to do if a long fight lasts past January 6 is also not planned.
As someone who also objected to Trump’s first election victory in 2017, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said he hadn’t heard of any Democrats planning to object this time and thought Democrats would be “constitutional patriots.”
“I have not actually heard of anybody who intends to vote no,” added Morelle, “and I would certainly discourage it.”
“I’m not intending to do that again, because I think that people don’t differentiate,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). She added, “I think there was a clear difference between what we did and what he does.”
“Harris will be presiding over the certification of her own defeat — a moment that is simultaneously uncomfortable and an ode to the peaceful transfer of power. She’s the third losing candidate to do so in recent history,” Politico noted.
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.”