Here Are the 13 Florida Republicans Who Objected to Biden’s Vote Certification

Before an angry mob clad in Trump gear and sporting Confederate flags stormed the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., yesterday, congressional leaders were meant to count and certify the nation’s electoral votes, once and for all certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

In the weeks leading up to yesterday’s events, a number of representatives signaled that they would object to the certification, pushing false claims of widespread voter fraud in states such as Arizona and hoping to throw out votes from those states. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida tweeted on December 21 that he and others would “OBJECT to electors from states that didn’t run clean elections.”

Although President Donald Trump’s camp has launched multiple election-related lawsuits in battleground states including Arizona and Pennsylvania, all of them have been thrown out by judges for lack of any evidence of widespread voter fraud.

When the group of insurrectionists ran into the Capitol yesterday and began breaking windows and destroying federal property, senators and representatives were evacuated, interrupting the vote count until the building could be secured.

When lawmakers returned to congressional chambers late last night to continue their constitutionally mandated duty, some who planned to object to the votes changed their minds and opted to certify Biden’s victory.

Nevertheless, many Republican representatives objected to Biden’s wins in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, even after the attacks. But those objections failed because they received no Senate support, which is required to initiate a vote on certification. Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia initially said she would object to her state’s electoral votes, but after the mob broke into the Capitol, she said she “could not now in good conscience object to the certification of these electors.”

Objections to the votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania did make it to a vote and debate, however, with support from Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri. Ultimately, the objections fell flat, failing to receive the required number of House and Senate votes, and Biden was certified as president.

While some Republicans broke with Trump and voted to accept the Arizona and Pennsylvania votes, most Florida Republicans did not.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott chose to uphold Arizona’s results but voted to reject the results in Pennsylvania, putting him in a minority of seven senators who supported the objection.

Despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud, not to mention numerous audits and recounts showing the election was conducted fairly and accurately, here are the 12 Florida representatives and one senator who objected to the electoral certification.

Rep. Kat Cammack: Took office in January 2021. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart: Took office in January 2003. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Byron Donalds: Took office in January 2021. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Neal Dunn: Took office in January 2017. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. C. Scott Franklin: Took office in January 2021. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Matt Gaetz: Took office in January 2017. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Brian Mast: Took office in January 2017. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Bill Posey: Took office in January 2009. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. John Rutherford: Took office in January 2017. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Sen. Rick Scott: Took office in January 2019. Voted to reject Pennsylvania’s electors but upheld Arizona’s results.

Rep. W. Gregory Steube: Took office in January 2019. Voted to reject both states’ electors.

Rep. Daniel Webster: Took office in January 2011. Voted to reject both states’ electors.