All Republicans Should Admit the Election Is Over
Their challenges have already done lasting damage to American government.
Better late than never.
Photographer: Rod Lamkey/Getty Images
On Monday, the Electoral College formally affirmed Joe Biden as president-elect by 306 votes to 232. The next day, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated him, recognizing for the first time that President Donald Trump had in fact lost the election. Other leading Republicans have also joined in acknowledging what they’ve known, or should have known, for weeks.
It’s a pity this took them so long, but better late than never. What’s important now is that the entire Republican Party aligns behind this view. That would begin — only begin — to repair the damage inflicted on the U.S. system of government since the election. In due course, looking beyond the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6 certifying the Electoral College count and the inauguration on Jan. 20, the new president and Congress, together with the states, should give urgent attention to restoring public confidence in the country’s electoral systems.