Sen. Tom CottonTom Bryant CottonFive GOP contenders other than Trump for 2024Congress overrides Trump veto for the first timeHawley jams GOP with Electoral College fightMORE (R-Ark.), a possible contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, broke with his rivals Sunday night by announcing he will not object to the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6.
Cotton warned that an effort spearheaded by Sens. Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyRomney: Plan to challenge election ‘egregious ploy’ that ‘dangerously threatens’ country Pence ‘welcomes’ efforts of lawmakers to ‘raise objections’ to Electoral College resultsToomey, Murkowski to oppose GOP effort to challenge election resultsMORE (R-Mo.) and Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzRomney: Plan to challenge election ‘egregious ploy’ that ‘dangerously threatens’ countryToomey, Murkowski to oppose GOP effort to challenge election resultsSenate Democrats rebuke GOP colleagues who say they’ll oppose Electoral College resultsMORE (R-Texas), two other 2024 White House hopefuls, to challenge the electoral votes of several swing states that went for President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenAppeals court dismisses Gohmert’s election suit against PenceRomney: Plan to challenge election ‘egregious ploy’ that ‘dangerously threatens’ country Pence ‘welcomes’ efforts of lawmakers to ‘raise objections’ to Electoral College resultsMORE could establish unwise precedents.
While Cotton said he is concerned about how the 2020 presidential election was carried out, such as changes to election law allowing mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day to be counted, he argued it is up to the states and the courts not Congress to handle election laws.
The Founders entrusted our elections chiefly to the states not Congress. They entrusted the election of our president to the people, acting through the Electoral College not Congress. And they entrusted the adjudication of election disputes to the courts not Congress, he said in a statement released Sunday evening. 
Under the Constitution and federal law, Congresss power is limited to counting electoral votes submitted by the state, he said. 
Cotton warned that if Congress threw out the electoral votes of states such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where President TrumpDonald TrumpAppeals court dismisses Gohmert’s election suit against Pence Kentucky governor calls vandalism to McConnell’s home ‘unacceptable’ Pence ‘welcomes’ efforts of lawmakers to ‘raise objections’ to Electoral College resultsMORE has alleged without evidence widespread election fraud, it would take away the power to choose the president from the people. 
He said it would imperil the Electoral College and the voice it gives to smaller states like Arkansas and help Democrats achieve their longstanding goal of eliminating the Electoral College. 
He said Congress if overrides the Electoral Colleges vote, it would take another big step toward federalizing election law.
Thus, I will not oppose the counting of certified electoral votes on Jan. 6, he said. 
Cotton said he is disappointed in the election results and grateful for what Trump accomplished during his four years in office, but argued, objecting to certified electoral votes wont give him a second term it will only embolden those Democrats who want to erode further our system of constitutional government.
Cotton is the second key Trump ally and conservative Republican senator to break with the effort to delay the counting of electoral votes, which is scheduled to take place during a joint session of Congress Wednesday.
Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamGraham bucks McConnell: ,000 payments ‘not socialism’Congress overrides Trump veto for the first timeBill to raise checks to K blocked for third day in SenateMORE (R-S.C.) earlier in the day said an effort led by Cruz and supported by ten other Republican senators to set up a special commission to audit the results of the 2020 election was a political dodge.
Proposing a commission at this late date which has zero chance of becoming reality is not effectively fighting for President Trump. It appears to be more of a political dodge than an effective remedy, he said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellRomney: Plan to challenge election ‘egregious ploy’ that ‘dangerously threatens’ country Kentucky governor calls vandalism to McConnell’s home ‘unacceptable’Toomey, Murkowski to oppose GOP effort to challenge election resultsMORE (R-Ky.) and Senate Majority Whip John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneSenate Democrats rebuke GOP colleagues who say they’ll oppose Electoral College results11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results WednesdayGeorgia keeps Senate agenda in limboMORE (R-S.D.) have warned Republican colleagues that objecting to states electoral votes, which will force members of the Senate to vote on the matter, would be a political mistake.
Both chambers would have to vote to throw out a states electoral votes and the chances of that happening are nil as Democrats control the House.