https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/trump-biden-election-day-2020
GOP Sens. Graham, Cruz Back Trump on Voting Comments as Others Urge Patience
Some prominent Republican lawmakers backed President Trump after he took aim at the media, election officials and Democrats for the current state of the vote count, while others emphasized the need to conduct a fair, lawful election.
"Mainstream media polling is designed to suppress Republican votes," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) on Fox News. “But I'm here tonight to stand with President Trump, he's stood with me."
Mr. Graham said he planned to donate $500,000 to the president's legal fund and encouraged the president's supporters to do the same.
"What we are seeing tonight, what we have been seeing in the last few days is outrageous," Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said on Fox News. "It is partisan. It is political. And it is lawless."
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) said the fact that House GOP incumbents defeated Democratic challengers this week indicated that Mr. Trump had to be winning.
“What’s very interesting here and shows more of the fraud: Not one Republican incumbent lost,” Mr. McCarthy said on Fox News Thursday night. “How would President Trump lose in an atmosphere like that?”
Mr. McCarthy accused states and localities of perpetrating widespread voter fraud in order to tilt the election toward Mr. Biden.
Some Republicans took a more measured approach.
“As vote totals continue to update, Americans deserve confidence in a fair and transparent election. The president is right to ensure all legally cast votes be observed and counted,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership.
A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) declined to comment. Other members of the Senate GOP leadership team, including Sens. Roy Blunt (R., Mo.), Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) and John Thune (R., S.D.), didn’t respond to requests for comment.
“I urge patience as all legally cast votes are tallied,” said Senator Todd Young (R., Ind.), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Rep. Will Hurd (R., Texas), who is retiring, criticized the president’s comments.
“A sitting president undermining our political process & questioning the legality of the voices of countless Americans without evidence is not only dangerous & wrong, it undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon.”
Rep. Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.), chairman of the House GOP conference, didn’t comment Thursday night. Ms. Cheney, who is running to keep her leadership role next year, has faced pushback from House Republicans over her willingness to criticize the president at times.