DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON'T, MITCH

Mitch McConnell has now acknowledged that Joe Biden is the president-elect -- and it's being reported that he's worried about a possible congressional protest when the electoral votes are formally counted on January 6. According to Axios, McConnell is trying to persuade his caucus not to protest, based on the belief that if no senator raises an objection, somehow the crazy Republican base won't notice:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his leadership team urged fellow Republicans on a conference call today not to participate in any efforts to object to certifying Joe Biden's presidential election win in the Jan. 6 joint session, two sources on the call tell Axios.

... This is about politics as much as about doing the right thing. McConnell expressed concern about such a vote, because the GOP would have to vote it down — something that could damage incumbents up for re-election in 2022.

McConnell thinks not even bringing it up -- allowing the count to be ratified without any objections from a senator -- won't damage GOP incumbents up for reelection? Seriously?

Sorry, but Trump and his minions have the base convinced that a monstrous injustice has taken place. We know that Mo Brooks, a House Republican from Alabama, will lodge a protest. McConnell is saying that if no senator joins him, and therefore no vote on the protest takes place -- or I should say no votes, because Brooks will object to the electors of multiple states -- the base will shrug and accept the inevitable.

That won't happen. They're furious. They'll still be furious 22 days from now. (And two years from now.)

McConnell probably won't get his wish. Politico notes that Rand Paul -- McConnell's fellow Kentuckian and occasional nemesis -- still hasn't ruled out seconding the Brooks challenge. Also:

Conservatives ... have been eyeing Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville — another Alabama Republican and Trump supporter — as someone who may get on board. And Senate Republicans are unsure where he stands....

Well, here was Tuberville a couple of days after the election:

I’d challenge that as a coach, and @realDonaldTrump is right to challenge that as a candidate.

The American people deserve transparency and to know the integrity of our votes are preserved. #Election2020

— Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) November 6, 2020

But even if McConnell keeps Paul and Tuberville (and Ron Johnson and others) from joining in the challenge, the base will despise GOP senators for not even trying to fight, even though the effort is doomed to fail. (It has to pass both houses, and won't pass in the Democratic House.)

One consequence of all this could be Ivanka Trump's election as a U.S. senator from Florida.

Marco Rubio is up for reelection in 2022. There are rumors that both Ivanka and Roger Stone might want to primary him. At Parler, Stone says he's not serious:

But I'm sure Ivanka is dead serious -- and while she might try to be less of an insane wingnut than her father on most issues, I guarantee she'll be an unswerving advocate of the theory that her daddy had his victory stolen from him. And if Rubio failed to "stop the steal," he'll have trouble against Ivanka in a primary.

Republicans might just have to hold that vote and kiss Trump's ass one last time, while allowing Mitt Romney, Pat Toomey, and a few other reality-based Republicans to defeat the protest in the Senate. I don't see any other way out for Mitch and his crew.