New Report Identifies U.S. Senate Election Certification Risk

Regardless of election results, research from democracy organization Public Wise reveals a credible pathway for over one-fifth of U.S. Senators to object to election certification

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of the election, new research from voting rights and democracy organization Public Wise, identified 24 sitting U.S. Senators considered “at risk” of objecting to election certification on Jan. 6, 2025 and seven Senate candidates currently running for election. The 2022 bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act (ECRA) requires that at least one-fifth of each chamber of Congress – 87 House members and 20 Senators – object to a state’s electoral votes for that objection to succeed and trigger debate.

“Disinformation is central to the MAGA campaign playbook. Trump and his allies started sowing the seeds of election denialism before a single vote was cast, and they are pushing the same conspiracy theory: The 2020 election was stolen, and the only way Trump can lose in 2024 is if it is stolen again. Election deniers at all levels of government may be more organized than ever, but so is the pro-democracy movement,” said Christina Baal-Owens, Executive Director of Public Wise. “In 2024, democracy and supporting free and fair elections is now seen as a winning message. Voters are going to the polls and elect their local and state leadership, as well as our next president, and on Jan. 6, 2025, we will hold the newly elected Congress accountable to respect the will of voters.”

Each of the following Senators and Senate candidates either voted against certification, publicly stated plans to vote against certification in 2020, publicly questioned the results of the 2020 or 2022 elections, refused to say whether they would accept the results of the 2024 election, and/or spread disinformation about voting and elections. You can view the complete research from Public Wise here with a written explanation here. 

• Senators: Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Katie Britt (R-AL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tim Scott (R-SC), and JD Vance (R-OH)
• Candidates: Jim Banks (R-IN), Sam Brown (R-NV), Eric Hovde (R-WI), Jim Justice (WV), Kari Lake (R-AZ), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), and Mike Rogers (R-MI)

Public Wise created two tools – the Insurrection Index in 2022 and the Election Threat Index in 2024 – to hold individuals and public officials accountable for their actions that undermine our democracy. The Insurrection Index is a searchable database with more than 1,800 records on individuals and organizations in positions of public trust who were involved in the deadly attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021—including former President Donald Trump. The Election Threat Index identifies and examines the impact of election deniers serving in state and local offices working on election administration in seven key battleground states – Arizona, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Public Wise will release a full report on the U.S. Senate election certification risks pending the results of the election.

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About Public Wise

Persistent and unyielding in our commitment to a just multiracial democracy, Public Wise fights to secure a government that reflects the will and protects the rights of the people. We accomplish this through education, research, organizing, funding, and partnerships that support more voting and more equitable representation.