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State and local political leaders were shocked by the scenes of protesters storming the Capitol and called for peace and a return to civility.
Local congressional representatives were confirmed safe on Wednesday by members of their staff. Several leaders shared their thoughts about the situation and the Electoral College vote.
Latta tweeted an appeal to end the chaos.
"These attacks on our democracy, Capitol, & @CapitolPolice are abhorrent & must stop. This is not how the Constitution has guided our country & citizens over the past 232yrs. My eternal gratitude goes to the men & women who protect us 24/7 at the Capitol. I pray for their safety."
Later, he released a longer statement. Like many Americans, Latta had looked forward to four more years of conservative leadership.
"To say I am disappointed in the election's results is an understatement," the statement read.
While Latta supported the president's right to go to court to contest election irregularities, "in the dozens of federal and state court cases that were filed on behalf of the president, the president did not prevail." Latta still supported efforts to address issues concerning elector selection and the creation of a blue-ribbon bipartisan panel to investigate the 2020 election.
"While I believe these actions were taken appropriately, I have taken a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I take that oath very seriously.
"The Constitution does not grant Congress the authority to overturn elections and overrule state and federal courts. We must preserve the Electoral College as outlined in the Constitution because without it, the entire landscape of electing the president would be irreparably altered for the worse. It is for these reasons that I will cast my vote to uphold the Constitution, and I cannot support the objections," Latta wrote.
Jordan's staffers referred to a tweet the congressman had made as the situation was unfolding.
"Stop the violence. Support Capitol Police," he tweeted.
Wednesday evening, Jordan issued another statement: "Americans support peaceful protests, First Amendment activity, and the men and women of law enforcement. What happened today is wrong and is not what America is about."
A media representative for Davidson said the congressman was safe, but the situation was very fluid and no further details could be given. Hours earlier, Davidson had tweeted his thanks to Capitol police for keeping everyone safe.
Davidson had mentioned in a release on Tuesday that he had planned to object to electors from several states. A media representative told the newspaper Davidson hadn't expected the election outcome to be changed or overturned, but the Congressman wanted to trigger a debate to discuss systemic issues of election integrity in several states and pointed out the 2020 presidential election was hardly the first when objections were raised and doubt was cast over election integrity.
Brown said he and his staff were safe after the storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.
Asked for a response to the situation, Brown's spokesperson referred to Brown's Twitter feed.
Brown said the violence at the Capitol needs to end now.
"The lives of countless workers - journalists, staff and Capitol Police are being put at risk by this attack on our democracy," Brown tweeted.
Portman condemned in the harshest of terms the violence that unfolded at the U.S. Capitol, characterizing it as an attack on every American.
He also called upon President Donald Trump to embrace the peaceful transfer of power.
"I condemn the violent and criminal acts that took place at the U.S. Capitol today. These shameful actions to disrupt a session of Congress and vandalize the Capitol building should never happen in our great republic," Portman said. "The U.S. Capitol belongs to every American and is a symbol of the citadel of democracy. An attack on the Capitol building is an attack on every American."
Also, an attack on the nation's law enforcement officers is an attack on the rule of law and the safety and security of all Americans, Portman maintained.
"It is time for President Trump to embrace the peaceful transfer of power, which is mandated under the Constitution and a hallmark of our democracy," Portman said.
Delzeith bemoaned the spectacle at the U.S. Capitol building, describing it as a continuation of the rioting that had roiled cities across the nation over the summer.
"It was sad," Delzeith said. "It takes away from the message that was initially started. You had tens of thousands, maybe even 100,000 people, peacefully protesting, and it just turned into the storming of the Capitol. Unfortunately, a small fraction of that peaceful protest decided it was a good idea to break the law, to do something very stupid."
Peaceful protest is OK. Rioting is not, Delzeith underscored, yearning for a nation that returns to law and order.
"I think that as a nation we all have to come together and understand that there is a rule of law and order that needs to be followed. That goes for everybody, whether it's left, right, independent," he said. "Unfortunately we're in a time right now where the past eight months we've kind of gotten used to it with the riots in the cities. This is just continuing to spill over, and we need to just all start respecting the rule of the law and the right to peaceful protest."
Delzeith also was asked about the Republican Party's next move having lost both chambers and the presidency.
"We've just got to keep pushing the same views that we think that American people do have and try to stay on the same path," he replied. "I don't think we can try to do anything different. We just have to make sure that we continue to uphold the law, we continue to keep our same conservative values and we keep moving forward."
Mosier was dismayed by the images of Trump's supporters commandeering the U.S. Capitol building but remains optimistic for the country given the victory of two Democratic senators in Georgia.
"I think it was a sad day for the United States. It truly is a sad day," Mosier told the newspaper.
Mosier said he's not sure what message protesters were trying to send by seizing and ransacking the Capitol building other than giving a show of intimidation.
"That's not the United States of America," he said.
The great news to take heed of, though, is the election of two Georgia Democrats to the U.S. Senate, ensuring that legislation will actually be given a vote in the near future since Democrats will control the chamber, Mosier noted.
"All those bipartisan bills that were never voted on, there'll be an opportunity to vote for them," Mosier said. "I'm just so excited, and the No. 1 thing we need to look at - Social Security. I hope we can start with that one."
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden certainly faces uphill challenges with the ongoing pandemic, but Mosier said he's very optimistic about the chances of meaningful legislation becoming law in the coming months.
"I'm just focusing on the fact that the people are actually going to get some business done in the … Senate," he said. "I think (Biden) has an idea where he wants to take the country, and hopefully we can start healing some of the divisions. We're watching TV today, and we can see where we're at."
Bergman said he didn't see the drama unfold live as Congress was interrupted in the middle of debating the integrity of Arizona's election.
After learning more about the situation, though, he said the violence seen at the Capitol was not to be tolerated.
"There's no call for action like this to take place in the capitol - or anywhere in the U.S. for that matter," Bergman said. "There is no place for that in this country."
"The crux of the issue is that this should not happen," he continued.
Henschen said he'd been watching as Congress began affirming the Electoral College votes and then splitting up to debate the results of the Arizona election. As certain officials were "fussing" about the election results inside, he said, "then the fuss was outside."
The situation was sad to see, he continued, expressing that while people had the right to protest, a line had been crossed when protesters began breaking windows and resorting to violence. He believes protesters should never have been allowed so close to the Capitol.
Everything that took place, both inside and out, will not change the outcome of the election, Henschen said. The votes had been counted and submitted, and Congress's role was only a "technicality," making stalling tactics a futile exercise.
"On Jan. 20, Joe Biden's going to become the president of the United States, whether they like it or not. The people have spoken. Thank God for that."
He said he hoped people responsible for the mayhem would be caught and held accountable.
DeWine called the events "an embarrassment to our country" and called for the demonstrators to stop at once.
"The President should call for the demonstrators to leave our Capitol Building. The final step in the constitutional process of electing our president has been disrupted. The stopping of the count of the Electoral College votes has occurred because the security of the U.S. Capitol has been breached by a violent mob. As a nation of laws, this is simply not acceptable.
Lawlessness is not acceptable. This is an affront to our Constitution and everything we hold dear. Those who breached the Capitol breached the Constitution. Peaceful demonstrations outside the Capitol are an exercise of the demonstrators' First Amendment rights. Stopping the constitutional process by which we elect the president is not."
Yost said the rule of law meant the same rules apply to everyone. Thus, those who called for prosecution of demonstrators who stormed the federal courthouse in Portland had to do the same for those who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday.
"The color of your skin or the slogan upon your banner must not change what is and is not acceptable. Let all of us in Ohio remain peaceful. Do not let a sense of injustice produce more injustice," Yost wrote.
"President-elect Joe Biden is absolutely right: the words of a president matter. For too long, this president's words have fanned the flames of hatred, chaos and racism, and for four years, Ohio Republicans have cheered him on or shrugged their shoulders and pretended to be 'late for lunch.' We join President-elect Biden in calling on the president to go on national TV immediately, condemn the violence and demand that his supporters end their seditious attack on the U.S. Capitol. We will continue to pray for our nation and for our nation's leaders."
Timken issued a statement saying "the riots taking place in our nation's capital do not reflect America as I know it. We are lucky to live in a country that allows its citizens freedom of thought, expression and speech, but today's lawlessness cannot be tolerated. I condemn today's violence in the strongest possible terms. We are a nation of laws and I pray not only for our nation's law enforcement officials as they protect the Capitol building, but also for our nation to heal and find peace in such difficult times."
