Former GOP lawmakers call on Trump to accept election results

More than 30 former Republican lawmakers are calling on President Trump to accept the results of the 2020 election as his campaign pursues legal challenges instead of conceding the race against President-elect Joe Biden. 

The group argued that the Trump campaign’s allegations of fraud are unfounded and threaten Americans’ confidence in democracy.

“As former Republican Members of Congress who swore an oath to the Constitution, we believe the statements by President Trump alleging fraud in the election are efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the election and are unacceptable,” they said in a statement.

“Every vote should be counted and the final outcome accepted by the participants because public confidence in the outcome of our elections is a bedrock of our democracy,” they added. “Going forward it is our hope the nation will, regardless of party or persuasion, recognize that President-Elect Joe Biden has won this election.”

While multiple prominent GOP lawmakers and politicians have congratulated Biden on the election results, a sizeable number of Republicans have been vocal in their support of the president’s battle in the courts and his campaign has shown no signs of backing down from its efforts.

“We have high confidence that as the president pursues his lines of legal recourse – including the recounts in Georgia and Wisconsin, at least – we do feel like there is a runway for the president to win this and win reelection,” Tim Murtaugh, communications director of the Trump campaign, said during an appearance on Fox Business on Monday.

The Republican signers of the statement — a large number of whom endorsed Biden for president — include former Reps. Tom Coleman (Mo.), Susan Molinari (N.Y.), Jim Greenwood (Pa.), Jim Kolbe (Ariz.), Chris Shays (Conn.), Mickey Edwards (Okla.), Dick Zimmer (N.J.),  Jim Walsh (N.Y.), Ray La Hood (Ill.), Peter Smith (Vt.), Steve Bartlett (Texas), Charlie Dent (Pa.), Scott Klug (Wis.), John LeBoutillier (N.Y.), Doug Bereuter (Neb.), Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Charles Djou (Hawaii), Bob Inglis (S.C.), Alan Steelman (Texas), Steve Kuykendall (Calif.), Connie Morella (Md.), Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Bob Bauman (Md.), Mike Parker (Miss.), Tim Petri (Wis.), Barbara Comstock (Va.), Carlos Curbelo (Fla.), Jack Quinn (N.Y.) and Jim Leach (Iowa).

They were joined by former Sens. Gordon Humphrey (N.H.) and Dave Durenberger (Minn.).