DALTON, Ga. (AP) — With mounting desperation, President Donald Trump is declaring he will “fight like hell” to hold on to the presidency. And he's appealing to Republican lawmakers to reverse his election loss to Joe Biden when they convene this week to confirm the Electoral College vote.
He shouted his objections to his loss, which he insists was a victory, at a long rally in Georgia Monday night. Electoral voters won by President-elect Biden are “not gonna take this White House!” he shouted as supporters cheered at the outdoor rally.
His announced reason for the appearance was to boost Republican Senate candidates in Tuesday's runoff election. But he spent much of his speech insisting he was cheated out of victory, though election officials in state after state have said he's wrong — Republican officials as well as Democratic.
Though he got nothing but cheers Monday night, Trump’s attempt to overturn the presidential election i s splitting the Republican Party. Some GOP lawmakers backing him are rushing ahead, despite an outpouring of condemnation from current and former party officials warning the effort is undermining Americans’ faith in democracy.
All 10 living former defense secretaries wrote in an op-ed that “the time for questioning the results has passed.”
It’s unclear the extent to which GOP leaders in Congress will be able to control Wednesday’s joint session, which could drag into the night, though the challenges to the election are all but certain to fail. Trump himself is whipping up crowds for a Wednesday rally near the White House.
