A tv information anchor in Pensacola, Florida, challenged Consultant Matt Gaetz on Friday over his claims that former President Donald Trump received the 2020 presidential election.

Gatez, a Florida Republican, has been among the many GOP figures who promoted the unproven claims that President Joe Biden solely received in 2020 attributable to widespread voter fraud. "I imagine that Donald Trump received the 2020 election," he stated on native information station WEAR-TV after anchor Bob Solarski requested if he nonetheless buys into the idea of a stolen election.

Solarski responded: "You may't say that with out saying that there was a big conspiracy throughout this nation and supervisor of election places of work in all places to make this occur, and we have not nonetheless seen any proof that proves that."

The confrontation got here throughout a dialogue about former Legal professional Normal William Barr's remarks dismissing efforts that had been made to vary the election outcomes.

"The objection course of has turn into nearly commonplace. It definitely has with Republicans once they get elected," the consultant stated, who has lengthy voiced skepticism that Biden rightfully received the election.

On the presidential degree, there have solely been three situations of electoral faculty objections—in 1969, 2005 and 2021. All had been rejected by Congress.

In October of final yr, Consultant Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, pressed Gaetz on whether or not or not he accepts the outcomes of the 2020 election.

"I feel that our election was uniquely polluted by these indiscriminate mail-in ballots," Gaetz responded on the time. "I feel this was the primary time in America's historical past the place the mailbox beat the poll field."

Some Republicans sought to overturn the 2020 election outcomes by citing widespread voter fraud—although no vital proof has been offered to again up these claims. On January 6, 2021, congressional Republicans challenged the electoral faculty certification whereas Capitol rioters engaged in a violent protest to strain Congress to overturn the outcomes.

Matt Gaetz challenged 2020 election
U.S. Consultant Matt Gaetz, seen above in Orlando on February 26, was challenged by a tv information anchor on WEAR-TV over his claims that former President Donald Trump received the 2020 presidential election.Joe Raedle/Getty Photographs

Within the months following the election, Republicans in a number of states together with Arizona and Wisconsin pushed for audits of the election, however each audit upheld the outcomes.

Gaetz, in the meantime, has continued to ally himself with Trump, saying that they've mentioned the likelihood of the previous president changing into the subsequent Speaker of the Home if Republicans retake a majority in Congress.

"I informed him you do not even should be speaker for the entire day," he stated whereas showing on Sebastian Gorka's American First. "You would do it for like three or 4 hours, give us a fantastic speech, make a couple of structural reforms to the establishment after which you might resign and we might have one other election for speaker."

Newsweek reached out to Gaetz's workplace for remark Saturday morning. This story will likely be up to date with any response.