As America transitions into the new presidential administration, Senate Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden said it was time for the country to accept the results of the 2020 election.
“Joe Biden won the election,” Rowden said. “There’s always fraud, and there’s always irregularities in elections, and I think that in an election where 160 million votes are being cast that’s probably going to happen. I think all of the various litigation that happened — it went before the courts, including many Republicans appointed by Trump, and the outcome was the same. You have to respect the process, and you have to move on. I don’t think it makes you any less patriotic if you decide it’s time to move on.”
Rowden was among the Missouri legislators on both sides of the aisle wishing the new administration well last week.
Rowden appeared on Sunday’s episode of “This Week in Missouri Politics” from the state Capitol to discuss the election, COVID-19 cases and precautions in the statehouse, the vaccine, legislative priorities, and security measures around the statehouse following the events in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. He said Senate leadership had discussed concerns with law enforcement and felt safe continuing session last week.
“We’d had ongoing conversations with the FBI and law enforcement folks, and they’d kept us abreast and there weren’t any credible threats or anything they were worried about,” he said. “We had a caucus call on Friday dealing with safety but also the COVID stuff, and everybody said ‘let’s go to work.’”
Inauguration Day
This week’s panel included state Sens. Justin Brown and Barbara Washington as well as Jack Cardetti, president of Tightline Public Affairs; and James Harris, government and public affairs consultant. The panel discussed the recent transfer of power in Washington, D.C., and the ease of Inauguration Day.
“The peaceful transition of power is a very important part of the American experience,” Brown said. “What we saw is not a foregone conclusion of the events that happened two weeks ago, but I am very glad that the inauguration went on peaceful and safe.”
Washington praised the stance of the new president, saying Biden delivered a message of unity during his inaugural speech.
“The first thing he said was ‘I am the president for all of America,’” she said. “There are no red states, no blue states, no red cities, no blue cities — we are all Americans. I think we take what President Biden said and remember that the strength of who we are is that we are proud to be Americans, regardless of what your beliefs are.”
Watch the full episode of “This Week in Missouri Politics” below, or listen to the podcast version here.
Cameron Gerber studied journalism at Lincoln University. Prior to Lincoln, he earned an associate’s degree from State Fair Community College. Cameron is a native of Eldon, Missouri.
Contact Cameron at cameron@themissouritimes.com.
