One member of Tampa Bay's Congressional delegation says he plans to vote Wednesday against certifying the election of Joe Biden as president. But some others are keeping their cards close to the chest.
Newly-elected Congressman Scott Franklin, R-Lakeland, says he'll vote against Biden. He said is a prepared statement there were “many valid questions that have been raised about this process,” but did not provide any examples.
"Following the election, there has been a lack of transparency in counting votes in several states that merit closer scrutiny," Franklin said in a statement released the day after he was inaugurated into Congress this past weekend. "For that reason, I will join my Republican colleagues in challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election to ensure that there is a fair election process that counts every legally casted vote."
Franklin joins several other high-profile supporters of President Donald Trump. Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz, Brian Mast and Bill Posey have said they will challenge the election and believe Trump won.
The Electoral College last month officially met and delivered the presidency to Biden by a vote of 306 to 232.
Both of the region's congressional Democrats - Kathy Castor of Tampa and Charlie Crist of St. Petersburg - said they will vote to uphold the Electoral College results and put Biden into the White House.
There's no official word from the area's Republicans - Gus Bilirakis, who represents northern Pinellas and Pasco counties - and Sarasota's Vern Buchanan and Greg Steube. Last Month, Bilirakis and Steube supported a failed lawsuit out of the state of Texas challenging the election results in several states.
Florida's Senators - Marco Rubio and Rick Scott - have not said which way they'll vote. The two Republicans did not join a group of 13 GOP Senators in publicly saying they will challenge the results.
