EXPLAINER: Why Georgia won't affect Electoral College count

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two high-stakes runoff elections in Georgia are poised to determine which party controls the Senate over the next two years. What the contests won't do is affect the certification of Electoral College results by Congress.

Republicans allied with President Donald Trump are pledging Wednesday to try to undo Democrat Joe Biden’s victory by mounting a challenge to the election results during a joint session of Congress, a last-ditch effort that is almost certain to fail. Lawmakers who were sworn into office this week will vote on the objections.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Ever since Trump lost to President-elect Biden, he has made repeated and false claims that widespread voter fraud cost him the presidency. Yet almost every single legal challenge filed on his behalf has been rejected by the courts, including the Supreme Court. His own attorney general said there was no evidence of widespread fraud.

That hasn't swayed some of Trump's allies in Congress, who are launching their hail-Mary attempt during the Electoral College certification to subvert the will of voters on Trump's behalf.

Trump can count on about a dozen conservative senators, as well as scores of House Republicans, to press his case by objecting to the certification of results from some crucial battleground states.

Democrats, however, control the House, and are certain to reject any effort to overturn the outcome. Additionally, many Senate Republicans oppose the pro-Trump efforts.

That all but guarantees that after hours of debate, Congress will certify President-elect Biden's victory, clearing the path for his inauguration Jan. 20.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN GEORGIA

Georgia’s had two Senate seats on the November ballot. But because none of the candidates garnered more than 50% of the vote, it...