MOST REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS WILL REJECT THE SWING-STATE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES

This was predictable:

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) on Wednesday did not rule out challenging the results of the Electoral College next month when Congress formally certifies the vote.

Johnson, who is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced the same day that he would hold a hearing next week on the "irregularities" of the 2020 election.

When asked if he plans to challenge the election results, Johnson told reporters: "I would say it depends on what we found out. I need more information. The American people need more information. I'm not ready to just close and slam the book on this thing and go 'OK, let's walk away from it.'"

Johnson's remarks come as Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) has said he will object when Congress convenes next month to certify the Electoral College vote.

Of course Johnson will challenge them. Or if he doesn't, it'll be Rand Paul or Ted Cruz. Or maybe all of them and more.

Why would anyone underestimate the extremism of this party? If seventeen additonal states signed on to Texas's vote-nullification lawsuit on Donald Trump's behalf, why wouldn't dozens of Senate and House Republicans sign on to challenge the counting of electoral votes? It'll absolutely be a majority of House and Senate Republicans.

The sound you're not hearing is any Republican with an ongoing career in electoral politics talking like this:

Sen. Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, has done something truly extraordinary. He has now stated in unequivocal terms that it’s unacceptable for his fellow Republicans to try to subvert the will of American voters to keep President Trump in power illegitimately....

“It’s completely unacceptable,” Toomey told the Philadelphia Inquirer, referring to Trump’s efforts to get numerous GOP-controlled state legislatures to appoint pro-Trump electors to the electoral college, in defiance of the state’s popular vote outcome.

“The president should give up trying to get legislatures to overturn the results of the elections in their respective states,” Toomey continued.

Toomey, of course, is retiring and won't run for reelection in 2022.

Three Republican senators who aren't retiring will probably endorse the electoral vote: Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski. Add Toomey and you might well have the complete list of senators who'll reject the protest. In the House, the only Republican I have any confidence in is Adam Kinzinger.

They can't back down now -- their base will come for them the way they're coming for legislators and election officials of both parties who won't toe the line.

This handful of Republicans plus all the Democrats will ensure that Biden's win is ratified.

And after that, the violence will start. Be ready.