As Congress convenes to ratify President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory, the memory of January 6, 2021, looms large. Lawmakers will convene on Monday under the tightest national security measures, with the Capitol surrounded by tall black fencing—a stark reminder of the violent events four years ago when a mob stormed the Capitol to prevent Trump’s defeat from being certified.
The certificate issue this year is going to be a peaceful process, without violence or protest. Republicans who contested the results of the 2020 election when Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump now fully accept his victory over Kamala Harris. Even Democrats accept the result, which is reflected in the choice made by the people of America when Trump defeated the opponent 312-226 in the Electoral College.
Even a heavy snowstorm is unlikely to postpone the certification. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican who was one of the legislators who challenged the 2020 results, told Fox News Sunday, “Whether we’re in a blizzard or not, we are going to be in that chamber making sure this is done.”
This process, the official beginning of a peaceful transfer of power, has an asterisk this time because Trump comes back to the White House reinstalled with renewed confidence in authority. He refuses to acknowledge losing the 2020 election and has floated notions about staying past two terms in office. He has even pledged to pardon people convicted for their crimes relating to the Capitol’s invasion.
While this year’s certification is expected to occur in the usual manner, questions linger about whether January 6, 2021, was an anomaly, or if the expected calm of this year will be the exception. The U.S. is still grappling with political division and the threat to democracy both at home and abroad.
Biden, who has called January 6, 2021, “one of the toughest days in American history,” emphasized the importance of restoring normalcy in the transfer of power. “I’m hopeful we’re beyond that now,” he said, referring to Trump’s challenges to the previous election.
Despite the turbulence, American democracy has proven resilient, and the tradition of certifying the election remains a cornerstone of the nation’s democratic process.
