Ernst Statement on Electoral College Vote Count
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) issued the following statement regarding the certification of the Electoral College votes:
“In the military, I proudly served alongside some of the brightest and bravest men and women to defend America—her freedoms and her values. We fought to uphold the right to peaceful protest. Sadly, what I witnessed today in the U.S. Capitol was a complete betrayal of those sacred ideals. What started as a protest turned into anarchy. Individuals who resorted to this violence must be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
“America – we cannot stand for this.
“For years, we have been able to disagree and debate tough issues and always strive to be a more perfect union. We have had a peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another throughout the course of our history, and it’s paramount we do that once again.
“There is no doubt we should ferret out any illegal votes and learn from any irregularities during the 2020 presidential election. This is one reason why I am supporting Senator Tim Scott’s (R-SC) effort to establish a bipartisan commission to study the integrity and administration of the election.
“When looking at the election for Iowa’s second Congressional district, I have been consistently clear that Mariannette Miller-Meeks won. Though the margin was close, Iowans spoke and elected Congresswoman Miller-Meeks, and a bipartisan panel in Iowa certified the results. I view the presidential election results the same way. As a senator, my job is not to overturn the will of voters and choose winners of elections—just like it’s not the House of Representatives’ to handpick who serves as Iowa’s second district congresswoman.
“We’ve heard time and again from Democrats who would like nothing more than to abolish the Electoral College and federalize our election system. What would that do? Silence Iowans’ voices and votes. I won’t allow that to happen.
“Many Iowans supported President Trump in the most recent election and are disappointed by the results. However, objecting to the Electoral College vote count will not change the outcome. And, beyond that, the reprehensible violence we’ve seen in the U.S. Capitol today will not change the outcome.
“Iowans should rest assured that I will continue fighting for our shared values and priorities, and that I will hold the new administration accountable. I truly believe America is the greatest nation on the planet, and she must continue to be a beacon of freedom and hope for everyone around the globe,” said Senator Joni Ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate.
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