Pence "welcomes" senators' plans to challenge Biden's election win

Vice President Mike Pence indicated his support Saturday for a group of Republican senators planning to object to certifying state Electoral College votes on Jan. 6.

Details: Pence's chief of staff Marc Short issued a statement to news outlets that the vice president "shares" concerns on voter fraud, though he did not cite any specific evidence.

• "The vice president welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence before the Congress and the American people" Wednesday, when Congress is due to certify the Electoral College vote, per the statement.

The big picture: The senators, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), have also called for resurrecting an Electoral Commission to conduct an emergency audit of the results.

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had hoped to avoid such a political spectacle for his party, with the move having no bearing on President-elect Joe Biden's win and upcoming inauguration.
• Every U.S. state has certified the 2020 election results following extensive verification processes. The Supreme Court and several judges across the country have "rejected nearly 60" election results challenges by President Trump and his allies, the New York Times notes.

Go deeper: Barr: DOJ has seen no evidence of fraud that would change election results