U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) and Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) are among the members of Texas' congressional delegation who say they will object Wednesday when both chambers meet to count the Electoral College votes and certify President-elect Joe Biden's win.
Cruz announced a coalition Saturday of 11 senators who will object to the certification of votes in several battleground states.
The group issued a statement that said in part, "Congress should immediately appoint an Electoral Commission, with full investigatory and fact-finding authority, to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the election returns in the disputed states. Once completed, individual states would evaluate the Commission's findings and could convene a special legislative session to certify a change in their vote, if needed."
To read the full statement, click here.
Election officials from battleground states and courts across the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have repeatedly dismissed President Donald Trump's claims of fraud.
Gooden, sworn in Sunday for his second term, said he would join House members objecting to the certification.
Three other North Texas Republican House members, Michael Burgess (R-Denton), Ron Wright (R-Arlington) and Kenny Marchant (R-Coppell), supported Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's December lawsuit to nullify the election results in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin.
"This will be one of the most consequential votes taken in the 117th Congress," Burgess said in a statement. "It is my responsibility to weigh all the arguments and evidence that will be presented in the House of Representatives on January 6th, and of course I am listening to the concerns expressed to me by constituents in the district.”
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Wright’s office said he would have a statement on his position Tuesday and Marchant retired after he did not seek reelection in 2020.
No other Republican House members revealed how they planned to vote and declined interview requests.
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House Democrats from North Texas said they will vote to certify the results.
“I really hope that the people that are saying that they are not, will have a change of heart because they are on the wrong of history,” Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) said.
“I hope that it will be short-lived because it’s clear that Vice President Biden was elected. Clearly, without question,” Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas) said.
A majority in both chambers must vote for an objection to the results for it to be sustained. With the House in Democratic hands, it will likely not happen.
