His voice rising at times, Republican Governor Charlie Baker on Monday strongly criticized efforts by congressional members of his party to challenge the results of the November presidential election, calling the GOP maneuvering in the Beltway “an affront to democracy.”
“President-Elect Joe Biden won the election fair and square,” Baker said during his regular State House news conference, quoting a commentator he said he’d heard over the weekend on the news. “And I think the noise, and the accusations and commentary about challenging this . . . that is an affront to democracy and to the voice of the people.”
Baker was asked about reports that President Trump had enlisted support from a dozen Republican senators and up to 100 House Republicans to challenge the Electoral College vote when Congress convenes in a joint session Wednesday to confirm Biden’s 306-232 win.
Advertisement
“And for the life of me, I can’t figure out how people in my party can say all [these] other elections in which their folks barely won were fine, and the only one that they seem to have any concerns about is the one at the top of the ticket.”
Baker said it is “my hope that these initiatives fail” in Congress.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.