Trump's gaslighting has convinced millions of his more than 70 million voters that the election was a farce and could irrevocably harm Biden's efforts to unify the country. It has also led to ugly scenes like those in Washington over the weekend, where Trump supporters, including members of the far-right Proud Boys group, clashed with anti-Trump demonstrators.
Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who is retiring and doesn't have to face voters again, said Sunday that the votes of the Electoral College should mark a watershed moment in Trump's effort to contest the election.
"I hope that he puts the country first," Alexander said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"It looks very much like the electors will vote for Joe Biden," he said, and argued there should be no question about election results after Monday.
"We need to not lose one day in the transition in getting the vaccine out," Alexander said.
An agonizing moment for Pence
It is not unheard of for individuals among the 538 electors who represent every state and the District of Columbia to go rogue. In 2016, for example, there were a record 10 "faithless" electors. And there is no constitutional stipulation that binds electors to vote for the candidate who receives a plurality of the popular vote in their state. Still, many states replace electors who go rogue or fine them. And Trump's efforts to convince state legislators in states that he lost, like Pennsylvania, and seat electors favorable to him fell short. Biden's victory is so wide — 306 to 232 electoral votes -- that symbolic defections will not matter.
Electors are picked by state parties and exclude federal lawmakers but usually include local officials and party alumni. In New York, for example, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will ceremonially cast electoral voters for Biden.
The Electoral College voting on Monday -- on the legally mandated first Monday after the second Wednesday in December -- will set up an even more intriguing constitutional ballet on January 6. That is the moment when electoral ballots cast on Monday will be counted during a joint session of Congress -- another occasion that is normally perfunctory but that will take on extra constitutional significance this year. Some Republican House members have already urged Trump not to concede when he loses the Electoral College on Monday. They also want to hold a debate on January 6 on the results of key states over allegations of fraud. If one member of the House and one member of the Senate file an objection, that process can take place in each chamber. But it remains unclear whether any Republican senator is willing to take that step, which would be academic anyway since Democrats control the House.
The January 6 ceremony will set up a particularly excruciating moment for Vice President Mike Pence, who has walked an undignified tight rope between his own reputation and ostentatious loyalty for Trump for the past four years.
Since it's his job as president of the Senate to count the electoral votes, it will fall to Pence to officially declare Biden and Harris victors of an election Trump falsely claims was stolen.