Days after Tommy Tuberville’s remarks at a Georgia rally prompted speculation about his intention to contest electoral votes in Congress, President Donald Trumpretweeted a video of the incoming Alabama senator’s recent comments. The video was originally posted alongside a caption noting that Tuberville’s comments seemed to indicate his plans to challenge votes cast by certain states’ Electoral College representatives.
Trump’s retweet closely coincided with his appearance on “Uncovering the Truth,” a radio talkshow series featuring Rudy Giuliani, on Sunday morning. Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney and the former mayor of New York City, became a leading member of the president’s legal team as his campaign pursued numerous lawsuits endeavoring to undermine the election’s outcome.
Couched between insistent, unfounded claims that voter fraud caused his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden last month, Trump referenced a conversation between himself and Tuberville during the interview. He said their correspondence took place on Saturday night, fueling suspicions of a possible electoral challenge ahead from the Senate newcomer.
Republican Senator-elect Tommy Tuberville suggested he would join Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks’ electoral vote challenge when Congress meets in January. Here, Tuberville meets with the media on November 9 in Washington, D.C.Stefani Reynolds/Pool/Getty Images
“I spoke to a great gentleman, Tommy Tuberville, last night,” Trump said Sunday. “And he is so excited. He said…he said, ‘You made me the most popular politician in the United States.’ He said, ‘I can’t believe it.’ He’s great. Great senator.”
Speaking Thursday at a campaign rally in Georgia for incumbent Republican senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler ahead of January’s runoff elections, Tuberville echoed many of the Trump campaign’s baseless allegations that Biden’s win was constructed by Democrats scheming to “steal” the election.
“It’s impossible. It is impossible, what happened. But we’re going to get that all corrected. I’m going to tell you: don’t give up on him,” said Tuberville, referencing Biden’s victory and Trump’s subsequent refusal to concede the presidency.
Later, responding to an unidentified individual who asked if the retired football coach intends to “fight to make this election right,” Tuberville added, “We’re going to fight hard.” The individual also addressed congressional lawmakers’ meeting to certify electoral votes in January and asked if Tuberville had any “tricks up [his] sleeve.”
“Just wait…well, you see what’s coming,” Tuberville replied. “You’ve been reading about it in the House. We’re going to have to do it in the Senate.”
Earlier this month, Republican Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks shared his resolve to challenge the electoral vote count when Congress convenes to authorize results on January 6. If one Republican senator aligns themselves with his initiative, all GOP members of the House and Senate will hold votes to determine whether to certify electoral votes from certain states, presumably those where Trump and his followers questioned results.
Newsweek reached out to Tuberville’s campaign for comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication.