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Presidential elections

Trump's Effort to Extend Presidency Fails as Pence and McConnell Refuse to Support Election Overturn

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As Mike Pence refused to overturn the result of the election, outgoing President Donald Trump's bid to extend his presidency beyond January 20 was dealt a fatal blow. This decision came as voting results in Georgia's runoff elections leaned in favor of Democrats, raising the prospect of a unified Democratic control in Congress. In a letter, Pence stated that his oath to support and defend the Constitution restricted him from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes to count and which to reject. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also condemned the effort, saying that the vote was not particularly close and that overruling the result would plunge democracy into a death spiral.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mike Pence refused to overturn the result of the election, citing his oath to support and defend the Constitution.
  • Mitch McConnell condemned Trump's election challenge, stating that the vote was not close and that overruling the result would be disastrous for democracy.
  • Republican Senator Mitt Romney accused Trump of disgracing the office of the presidency.
  • Democrats are likely to gain control of Congress, boosting President-elect Joe Biden's chances of implementing his agenda.
  • Georgia's runoff elections were triggered after no candidate earned more than 50 per cent of the vote in the November 3 general election.
  • Raphael Warnock, a Democratic candidate, was declared the victor in the first Georgia Senate race, while Jon Ossoff leads in the other Senate race.

Statistics:

  • 98% of votes have been counted in the Georgia Senate election, with Raphael Warnock leading Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler by 53,000 votes.
  • Mr. Ossoff leads Republican incumbent David Perdue by 17,000 votes with many remaining ballots expected to come from areas favoring Democrats.
  • The AP has yet to declare victory for Mr. Ossoff, a 33-year-old documentary film producer.
  • US 10-year Treasury yields rose by 0.06 percentage points to 1.02% in Asia trading, reflecting expectations of higher government spending.

Sources:

  • Lauren Fedor, James Politi, and Courtney Weaver, Washington
  • The Associated Press
  • The Financial Times
  • Michael Reynolds/EPA/EFE

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