It wouldn’t be entirely unprecedented for congressional Democrats to overturn an election result on behalf of one of their own, however. In 1984, the election results certified by the state of Indiana showed Congressman Frank McCloskey (D-Ind.) losing his reelection bid. The Democrats argued that disputed absentee ballots should be counted making McCloskey the winner. The Democratic House, after its own “recount,” voted to seat McCloskey rather than his Republican challenger, though nearly twenty Democrats — including Barney Frank — voted with the Republicans.
