Francis Rooney, Florida Congressman, said books are being written about President Donald Trump’s “influence” that he has “on much of the Republican leadership” while refusing to cede the presidency to Joe Biden.
During his appearance on Monday’s CNN newsroom, Congressman was asked by co-host Jim Sciutto why he felt that some of his GOP colleagues were so reluctant to accept the planned presidential victory for Joe Biden.
“Books will be written about this influence that President Trump has over a lot of Republican leadership and base,” Rooney said. “I don’t understand this,” Rooney said. It’s never been the case with previous Republican leaders, and I think the peaceful transfer of power is a crucial element of our democracy.
“Books will be written about this influence that President Trump has over much of the Republican leadership… I don’t understand this,” says GOP @RepRooney, who has publicly congratulated Biden and Harris.
“The peaceful transfer of power is a crucial element of our democracy. pic.twitter.com/CpuE9zPxaz
– CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) November 9, 2020
Rooney’s comments come as Trump continues to make unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud in connection with the presidential election and that the Democrats stole the race from him.
While a number of Republicans, including Rooney, have already congratulated Biden on his planned victory, others have run with Trump and his refusal to back down.
Both the Senator from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, and the Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, have both proposed that Trump should not give in.
“Unless the Republicans challenge and change the U.S. electoral system, there will never be another Republican president elected,” Graham told Fox News on Sunday.
“President Trump should not give in. We have less than 10,000 votes left in Georgia. He will win North Carolina. We have dropped from 93,000 votes to less than 20,000 votes in Arizona, where more – more votes must be counted,” Graham added.
Speaking in Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Cruz said, “I believe President Trump still has a way to win.
Cruz continued, “And that road is to count every single legal vote that has been cast, but also not to count votes that have been cast fraudulently or illegally, and we have a legal process to determine what is legal and what is not”.
When asked what maintains Trump’s influence on several Republicans, Rooney hinted that fear plays a major role in many elected officials by saying, “They don’t want to be tweeted in a negative way.
Rooney also added that he believed Trump’s attack on the election showed that “I believe we are playing into Russia’s hands here by undermining our own democratic principles.
“There was an election, and it seems that the vice president won it,” Rooney said. “I don’t see any possibility that this could ever be changed in any of these states…. so let’s get on with the program.
Washington Newsday contacted Rooney’s office to comment, but did not receive a response in time for release.
