<p>Republican Senator Josh Hawley on Wednesday pledged to challenge Democrat President-elect Joe Biden's victory when Congress convenes to officially tally the electoral votes, which could trigger a lengthy debate in the Senate but has virtually no chance of overturning the results.</p>.<p>Hawley, the junior senator from Missouri who was elected in 2018, said in a statement, that "some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws."</p>.<p>"At the very least, Congress should investigate," he said in a statement.</p>.<p>Hawley did not provide any evidence for his claims.</p>.<p>A number of Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives have said that they plan to object to the election results, but Hawley is the first US senator to do so.</p>.<p>Biden beat President Donald Trump by a 306-232 margin in the Electoral College.</p>.<p>Trump has refused to concede defeat and has repeatedly falsely claimed the election was tainted by widespread fraud.</p>.<p>Under the Electoral College system, “electoral votes” are allotted to states and the District of Columbia based on their congressional representation.</p>.<p>Congress is due to make the Electoral College tally official on Jan. 6 in what is largely a ceremonial session.</p>.<p>"You just get some theater with your ceremony this time," said Justin Levitt, a constitutional law professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.</p>.<p>Hawley's objection could trigger hours of debate and would force a vote over the objection, Levitt said. That could put some Republicans in the uncomfortable position of rejecting Trump's claims of fraud.</p>.<p>Despite Hawley's challenge, senior Republican senators have said Biden's victory will stand in the Republican-controlled Senate. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, acknowledged Biden's victory on Dec. 15 and has urged other Senate Republicans to refrain from objecting on Jan. 6.</p>
<p>Republican Senator Josh Hawley on Wednesday pledged to challenge Democrat President-elect Joe Biden's victory when Congress convenes to officially tally the electoral votes, which could trigger a lengthy debate in the Senate but has virtually no chance of overturning the results.</p>.<p>Hawley, the junior senator from Missouri who was elected in 2018, said in a statement, that "some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws."</p>.<p>"At the very least, Congress should investigate," he said in a statement.</p>.<p>Hawley did not provide any evidence for his claims.</p>.<p>A number of Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives have said that they plan to object to the election results, but Hawley is the first US senator to do so.</p>.<p>Biden beat President Donald Trump by a 306-232 margin in the Electoral College.</p>.<p>Trump has refused to concede defeat and has repeatedly falsely claimed the election was tainted by widespread fraud.</p>.<p>Under the Electoral College system, “electoral votes” are allotted to states and the District of Columbia based on their congressional representation.</p>.<p>Congress is due to make the Electoral College tally official on Jan. 6 in what is largely a ceremonial session.</p>.<p>"You just get some theater with your ceremony this time," said Justin Levitt, a constitutional law professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and a former deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.</p>.<p>Hawley's objection could trigger hours of debate and would force a vote over the objection, Levitt said. That could put some Republicans in the uncomfortable position of rejecting Trump's claims of fraud.</p>.<p>Despite Hawley's challenge, senior Republican senators have said Biden's victory will stand in the Republican-controlled Senate. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, acknowledged Biden's victory on Dec. 15 and has urged other Senate Republicans to refrain from objecting on Jan. 6.</p>