(KERO) — In light of Wednesday's debate in Congress on the certification of the Electoral College votes, a local congressman issued a statement outlining his position.
In a series of tweets sent out on Wednesday, Rep. David Valadao who represents California's 21st District said it is not the role of Congress to choose who is president.
Choosing to ignore the facts for the sake of party power is damaging to the American people’s confidence in the Electoral College and sets an unwise precedent for future elections.
— Rep. David Valadao (@RepDavidValadao) January 6, 2021
"The role of Congress as defined by the Constitution is to count the votes certified by the states. It is not the role of Congress to choose who the states certify. Only states have the authority to appoint electors. Choosing to ignore the facts for the sake of party power is damaging to the American people’s confidence in the Electoral College and sets an unwise precedent for future elections. Simply put, Congress does not have the power to pick the president — the American people do, through the Electoral College."
In November, Valadao defeated T.J. Cox for his seat in California's 21st District. Valadao had endorsed President Donald Trump in 2020 after withholding his backing in 2016. But he also stressed his independence, such as criticizing the Trump administration for family separations at the border and promoting his willingness to work across party lines.
