WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated Democrat Joe Biden on Tuesday as the president-elect.
The Republican leader said the Electoral College “has spoken.”
"So, as of this morning, our country has officially a President-elect and a Vice President-elect," McConnell said during comments in the Senate Tuesday morning. "So, today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden."
.@senatemajldr: "So, as of this this morning, our country has officially a President-elect and a Vice President-elect... The Electoral College has spoken. So, today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden." pic.twitter.com/4S7Xv7otsH
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 15, 2020
He also recognized and congratulated Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. "Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female Vice President-elect for the very first time," McConnell said.
The Republican leader’s statement ends weeks of silence over President Donald Trump’s defeat.
It comes after a groundswell of leading Republicans said Biden is the winner of the presidential election. They announced their views Monday after the Electoral College vote affirmed Biden won.
A number of senators said the time has come to move on. They're essentially abandoning Trump’s assault on the outcome.
Some, though, vow to stick with Trump, carrying the fight to Jan. 6 when Congress votes on the Electoral College results.