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On Thursday morning, President Donald J. Trump tweeted out an idea regarding potentially delaying the election.

He cited potential voter fraud from mail-in ballots due to everyone staying home from the novel coronavirus, an unsubstantiated claim that many experts have said would be unlikely.

The tweet by the president immediately caused reactions all around the world, including leading Republican officials.

Locally, Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced his opposition to the idea in a statement released to the public on Thursday afternoon.

“America has never postponed a presidential election — not through two World Wars, a Civil War, the Spanish flu or terrorist attacks,” Cuellar said. “As a nation, we will move forward and vote this November.

“As a senior Member of the Appropriations Committee, I helped secure $3.6 billion in the Heroes Act to help state and local governments prepare for upcoming elections by expanding vote-by-mail and early in-person voting to reduce crowding on Election Day. I urge the Senate to pass this legislation now to ensure the integrity and security of our elections.”

The congressman further noted that he and his fellow colleges will not partake in any delaying or postponement of the election, with Congress having the sole authority of making such a move.

“The Constitution states that only Congress can change the date of our elections,” Cuellar said. “My colleagues and I in Congress will never consider changing the date of our election to accommodate the President’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. We cannot give credence to the misinformation he spreads regarding the safety and validity of voting by mail.”

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