Congress does not have the right to disallow electors that have been certified by a state, Sen. Tom Cotton told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday, adding that he would accept this year's election results and would vote to certify them, just as he did in 2020.
The Arkansas Republican, who is rumored to be on the shortlist as a potential vice president for Donald Trump, said that he and the former president have "a disagreement about what can happen that day," emphasizing that "I don't think Congress has the constitutional authority to reject electors, and as a practical matter, it was never going to happen."
Cotton added that "I will accept the results of the election and certify them if it's a fair and a free election."
When asked if he would accept an invitation to serve as Trump's running mate, Cotton said that "any great patriot, if offered a chance to serve our country by the president, would have to consider it seriously."
Commenting on whether he would support Trump's goal of pardoning those who have been charged with various crimes related to their action at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Cotton said Trump "should evaluate each case on the merits, which is what he did when he was president the first time."
The senator added that those charged with "silly misdemeanors about parading on public grounds without a permit, 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."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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