Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., reportedly has pulled back on his warning to Republican colleagues if they objected to the Electoral College certification.
According to Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. per Politico on Monday, McConnell spoke on a recent conference call with senators and told them, "this is a very difficult decision for each one of you, you each have to make it yourselves. I've voted twice on declarations of war.
"This is right up there."
Cramer said McConnell added that he would not "judge anybody for their decision."
President Donald Trump and allies have alleged Joe Biden won the November election due to voter fraud in several key battleground states.
On Dec. 15, McConnell congratulated Biden on his victory. The two men were longtime Senate colleagues.
McConnell also warned Senate Republicans not to challenge Biden's presidential victory.
With Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, leading the electoral objections in the Senate, McConnell has been offering guidance when sought and fielding calls from GOP members, according to a source familiar with the matter.
McConnell is trying to lead his party as Trump enters the final two weeks of his presidency. The Senate runoffs in Georgia on Tuesday will decide if McConnell remains majority leader.
More than a hundred Republican House members and at least a dozen senators have indicated they plan to challenge the electoral voting results during a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
McConnell reportedly has been talking with many of his fellow Republican senators and leaving public arguments to people such as Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa.
"He's letting everybody reach their own conclusion here," said one Republican senator aligned with McConnell. "That’s very much his leadership style on issues like this, is to not say much. I think he hopes we don’t have too many people vote to do this. Trying to convince people right now wouldn’t produce much of a result when you could just give them time to think about it."
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