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Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) wrote in an op-ed for the Cincinnati Enquirer that while he supports legal checks on the 2020 presidential election, the General Services Administration should provide the funds and infrastructure for a Biden transition to begin.
Why it matters: Portman was a co-chair of Trump's re-election campaign in Ohio and rarely steps out of line with party leadership. He wrote in the op-ed that "there is no evidence as of now of any widespread fraud or irregularities that would change the result in any state."
What he's saying: "Based on all the information currently available, neither the final lawful vote counts nor the recounts have led to a different outcome in any state. In other words, the initial determination showing Joe Biden with enough electoral votes to win has not changed," Portman wrote.
- "I voted for President Trump. ... But I also believe that there is no more sacred constitutional process in our great democracy than the orderly transfer of power after a presidential election. It is now time to expeditiously resolve any outstanding questions and move forward."
- "[T]he Biden team should receive the requested intelligence briefings and briefings on the coronavirus vaccine distribution plan. This is only prudent."
The state of play: A handful of Republicans have broken rank with President Trump and fully acknowledged Joe Biden as the president-elect. Others are calling for Biden to receive transition resources, but have stopped short of referring to him as the winner of the election.
Go deeper: The top Republicans who have acknowledged Biden as president-elect