Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said Tuesday his decision to back the Electoral College presidential vote tally — rebuking a dozen conservatives in the chamber who plan to challenge it — was a “brutal” choice.
In an interview with MSNBC, Cramer, representing a solidly red state, is one of a handful of GOP senators who have announced they won’t object to the electoral vote.
“It is brutal to be honest with you,” he said of the decision process. “But at the end of the day, my conscience is captive to God, my oath is to the United States.”
“My reading of the Constitution is that there is no role for the Congress to object to the Electoral College,” he added.
“While it wasn’t an easy emotional decision, intellectually it was a fairly easy decision,” he said.
Cramer said he never heard from President Donald Trump or the White House regarding his choice, but that he spent “a lot of time” reviewing evidence and hearing from constituents and attorneys.
"I've put a lot of intellectual rigor and emotion into this decision, so it doesn't come easily," he said. "But I also have to say I'm quite comfortable with it."
About a dozen GOP senators have said they would object when Congress certifies the electoral vote Wednesday, and more than 100 House representatives say they’ll object.
The objections at the joint session of Congress on Wednesday will then force the chambers to debate it for two hours. Both chambers would then vote on whether to uphold the objection.
Democrats control the House, and several GOP senators have also said they would not go along with the effort.
According to The Hill, a Wednesday challenge would be just the third time in history that Congress will have to debate and vote on election challenges.