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Trump said he hopes Mike Pence 'comes through' to certify him as the 2020 election winner instead of Biden — but the vice president has no power to do that
Summary List PlacementPresident Donald Trump told supporters at a rally on Monday that he hopes Mike Pence "comes through" to help overturn the 2020 election results, when the vice president presides over a joint session of Congress on Wednesday to formally announce the winner. Trump has expressed a belief that Pence has the power to influence the outcome of Wednesday's ceremony, during which the vice president will witness each state's Electoral College results being read out and then announce Joe Biden as the president-elect. However, Pence's role is largely ceremonial. The New York Times likened Pence's role to that of a presenter at the Academy Awards. He will read out the winner, but he has no power to influence who that winner is. This puts Pence in the awkward position of infuriating the president, whose support he will want if he decides to run for president in 2024.
"I hope Mike Pence comes through for us, I have to tell you," Trump said at the Monday rally for Georgia's two Republican Senate runoff race candidates. "Of course, if he doesn't come through, I won't like him quite as much," Trump said, adding that Pence was "going to have a lot to say about it. And you know one thing with him, you're going to get straight shots. He's going to call it straight." Pence also risks losing the support of Trump's fans, who on Monday yelled at another Georgia rally for him to "Stop the steal!" according to The Times. Pence assured the crowd that he shares "the concerns of millions of Americans about voting irregularities" and that "we'll have our day in Congress" on Wednesday and "we'll hear the evidence." Read more: Trump's sad implosion is a good sign for Biden's agenda Pence appeared to be referring to the effort by a group of Republicans to challenge the election results in several states on Wednesday. On Saturday, the vice president said he "welcomes" those attempts. While these Republicans will have the ability to force a vote on these results, their odds of winning these challenges are slim to none with Democrats in control of the House, according to the Associated Press. Pence's inner circle expects him to follow the rules and fulfill his ceremonial role as Senate president, The Times reported, citing the vice president's aides. Sources close to Pence also told the AP that he has a respect for institutions, and that they expect him to follow the letter of the law. "I think he will approach this as a constitutionalist, basically, and say, 'What's my role in the Constitution as president of the Senate?'" said David McIntosh, president of the conservative Club for Growth and a friend of Pence. "What he'll do is allow anybody who is going to move to object to be heard, but then abide by what the majority of the Senate makes the outcome."
Read more: Former Mueller prosecutor says the call of Trump asking a Georgia official to change the election results shows 'criminal intent' Mike Pence 'welcomes' the efforts of Republican lawmakers to challenge Biden's win, days before Congress is due to certify the election results A federal appeals court shot down a GOP lawmaker's lawsuit against Mike Pence seeking to overturn the 2020 election 'I screamed in my car': A Georgia election official debunks Trump's 'ridiculous claims' from the president's leaked phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: A top economist explains how weighted voting could change democracy
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