Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday, dealing a blow to any lingering hopes Donald Trump may have had of reversing his election defeat.
“The Electoral College has spoken,” the powerful senator from Kentucky said in a speech on the Senate floor. “So today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden.”
McConnell also congratulated California Senator Kamala Harris on her election as Vice President.
“Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female Vice President-elect for the first time,” McConnell said.
Members of the Electoral College met around the country on Monday and delivered 306 votes to Biden and 232 to Trump, who has refused to concede the November 3 election and claimed falsely that it was marred by fraud.
Many leading Republicans lawmakers have refused so far to acknowledge Biden’s win, but McConnell’s remarks are a clear signal to the White House that further efforts to challenge the result are futile.
