President-elect Joe Biden said Thursday night that “more than several” Republican senators have privately offered their congratulations for his electoral victory.
Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Biden said that much of the Republican leadership would publicly acknowledge his victory once the Electoral College certifies the results on Dec. 14. He declined to name specific members, acknowledging GOP senators’ “very tough position” since President Donald Trump has refused to concede and he and his allies have continued to contest the election results.
“There have been more than several sitting Republican senators [who have] privately called and congratulated,” Biden said. “I understand the situation they find themselves in.”
Though the election was called for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Nov. 7, few congressional Republicans have come out and publicly acknowledged his win. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have both remained silent as well, refusing to refer to Biden as the president-elect. (RELATED: Chris Coons Say That A Number Of Republicans Have Privately Congratulated Biden)
Biden also said during the interview that he is optimistic that his administration and Senate Republicans can find common ground, even if Democrats fail to flip two Georgia seats in a Jan. 5 runoff, which would give the GOP a 52-48 majority. He said that he and Republicans share a number of common goals, including a comprehensive infrastructure bill and advancing cancer research.
“I’m not suggesting it’s going to be easy. It’s going to be hard,” Biden said. “But I’m confident that on the things that affect national security and the fundamental economic necessity to keep people employed, to get people employed, to bring the economy back, there’s plenty of room we can work.”
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