GOP Sen. Tom Cotton says he will accept 2024 election results

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Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Sunday that he would accept the 2024 election results and would vote to certify the results in 2025, just as he did in 2020. “I don’t think Congress has the constitutional authority to reject electors that 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’s a fair and a free election.” Cotton is rumored to be on the shortlist as a potential vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump. Asked whether he would accept an invitation to serve as Trump’s running mate, Cotton said he hadn’t spoken to Trump or his campaign about it, but added, “Any great patriot, if offered a chance to serve our country by the president, would have to consider it seriously.” In recent weeks, other Republican senators rumored to be on the shortlist, including Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Tim Scott of South Carolina, have refused to say on “Meet the Press” whether they would accept the results this year. Scott later said he would “certainly” vote to certify the election. Cotton defended his decision to break from others in his party, including the former president, when he voted to certify the 2020 election for President Joe Biden. “[Trump and I] had a disagreement about what can happen that day,” Cotton told moderator Peter Alexander. “I don’t think Congress has the constitutional authority to reject electors, and as a practical matter, it was never going to happen.” Asked about whether he would support Trump’s goal of pardoning those who have been charged with various crimes stemming from their action at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Cotton said Trump “should evaluate each case on the merits, which is what he did in when he was president the first time.” Cotton 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.” His comments follow promises from Trump and his campaign to pardon those who he says were “wrongfully imprisoned” for their actions on Jan. 6, 2021.