NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — U.S. Representative Jim Cooper said Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are "showboating" by supporting a challenge to the electoral college vote.
Both Senators announced their support over the weekend for President Donald Trump's objections to battleground states which favored President-elect Joe Biden in the election.
However, Rep. Cooper said a vote on an emergency audit for the electoral college won't make it far in Congress.
"There should be no controversy. There's absolutely no evidence of voter fraud. So, I'm hopeful the Senate will do the right thing and certify the results in favor of Joe Biden," said Cooper.
Blackburn and Hagerty released a joint statement that stated the president's allegations of fraud should be investigated.
NewsChannel5 political analyst Pat Nolan said while it's possible both houses could have a vote on the issue, it's unlikely as only a portion of the senate has supported the challenge.
"Both the house and the senate have to approve it. That's not going to happen. At least in the house. And I'm not sure any of these challenges are going to pass muster in the senate because the senate is pretty divided among the republicans, not the Democrats," said Nolan.
Republican State Representative Mark Pody of Lebanon said the challenge isn't so much about who's the next president, but the integrity of the election process.
"It is the process that I think that there are so many people who are frustrated that they don't trust the process at this point," said Pody.
Some worry the challenges weaken the democracy of America, and send the wrong message.
"I'm hopeful that young people do not think that this is somehow a new normal," said Cooper. ". Recently there was a letter sent by the 10 leading former secretaries of defense and the letter is lead by Dick Cheney, who is no liberal, who is no democrat. Worried about the possibility of the military being called on to somehow rescue the Trump presidency. That is tantamount to a coup. Things like that should not even be whispered in this country. That is wrong."
