Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Sunday that he would accept the results of the 2024 election and vote to certify the results in 2025, just as he did in 2020.
“I don’t believe Congress has the constitutional authority to reject electors who have been certified by a state,” Cotton said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
He added: “I will accept the results of the election and certify them if it is a fair and free election.”
Cotton is rumored to be on the list as former President Donald Trump’s potential vice presidential pick.
Asked whether he would accept an invitation to serve as Trump’s running mate, Cotton said he had not spoken to Trump or his campaign about it, but added: “Any great patriot, if the president offered you an opportunity to serve our country , I would have to seriously consider this.”
In recent weeks, other Republican senators believed to be on the list, including Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Tim Scott of South Carolina, refused to say on “Meet the Press” whether they would accept this year’s results. Scott later said he would “certainly” vote to certify the election.
Cotton defended his decision to break with other members of his party, including the former president, when he voted to certify the 2020 election for President Joe Biden.
“[Trump and I] I had a disagreement about what might happen that day,” Cotton told moderator Peter Alexander. “I don’t believe Congress has the constitutional authority to reject electors, and in practice that would never happen.”
Asked whether he would support Trump’s goal of pardoning those accused of various crimes stemming from his actions at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Cotton said Trump “should evaluate each case based on its merits, which is what he did when he was president for the first time.
Cotton added that those accused of “foolish misdemeanors about parading in public places without authorization, who did not attack a law enforcement officer, who did not damage public property, their pardon should be considered and, in many cases, should be granted.”
His comments follow promises from Trump and his campaign to pardon those he says were “unjustly imprisoned” for their actions on January 6, 2021.
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