GOP rebels plead with colleagues to promise midterm loss won’t lead to another coup

A handful of House Republicans are teaming with Democrats to get their colleagues to vow they won't block midterm winners from taking their seats.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are seeking signatures on a public letter committing House members to honor the results of the November 3 election, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The push comes as Democrats and Republicans critical of President Donald Trump grow uneasy that the outgoing GOP-led Congress might try to keep Democrats from taking power in January, following months of Trump casting doubt on how some states run their elections.

Signers pledge to oppose "any attempt to refuse or delay the seating of any Member-elect" who arrives with a valid certificate from their state. The pair hope to collect enough names to make the very idea of procedural games by the current House a nonstarter.

Gottheimer pointed to his own experience during the Capitol riot. "I was in the House chamber on January 6, when the doors were barricaded," he told The Journal, adding that recent events made the extra step worthwhile.

Bacon, who is retiring at the end of his term, recalled a near-fight several years ago when some Democrats weighed challenging an Iowa Republican whose race was decided by six votes. "We've seen before how this norm can come under strain," he said.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) have also signed on, their offices told The Journal. Both are fighting tight reelection races, and their support would likely give the effort a majority if every House Democrat joins.

The worry isn't coming out of nowhere. Earlier this year, a Heritage Foundation fellow, Scott Yenor, argued in a commentary that GOP leaders don't have to accept state results right away if they doubt them, leaning on the constitutional clause that lets each chamber judge its own members' elections.

"Congress could deny representation to states without voter identification laws," Yenor wrote. Heritage did not comment to The Journal.

The letter is addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Johnson's office did not respond to The Journal's requests for comment.