David Perdue: Donald Trump’s Favorite Senator

Whether it be a lack of political experience, racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric, or love of golf, David Perdue shares almost every quality with President Trump.

The senior Senator from the state of Georgia bears a striking similarity to the President.

Failed Business Model

With a seven-figure net worth and an inconsistent business record, Senator Perdue appears to be the Donald Trump of the Senate. When running in 2014,  his business experience was a focal point, with his campaign claiming that Perdue “added about 2,200 stores,” and “created almost 20,000 jobs. ” The truth of this statement is that Perdue contributed to the thousands of jobs lost during his time at Pillowtex, a North Carolina textile company known for going into bankruptcy and leaving more than 7,000 workers out of work. After no more than nine months with the company, Perdue left with an almost $2 million buyout while the company could not even pay the pension plan of its workers.  

No Washington Experience

Prior to being elected a U.S Senator and President respectively, David Perdue and Donald Trump had no previous political experience. Perhaps this is why the president has relied on one of his earliest supporters to help bridge the gap between the executive branch and Congress, where even Senate Republicans are sometimes unable to fathom the radical nature of Trump’s political agenda. Trump will often consult with Perdue either on the golf course to hash out political strategy or by calling the Senator at random times in the night. Senator Perdue is Trump’s go-to yes man on all things policy.

Dangerous Rhetoric and Harmful Policy

Perdue is running for re-election in the 2020 U.S Senate race, and his campaign is reminiscent of the political mudslinging strategy and xenophobic language used by Trump in 2015. Perdue’s campaign came under scrutiny after they ran an ad showing an exaggerated nose of his opponent, Democrat Jon Ossoff. An anti-Semitic trope was also used to reference Ossoff’s Jewish heritage.

Unfortunately, Perdue’s campaign rhetoric matches his policy viewpoints. In 2017, Perdue co-sponsored the RAISE Act, an act that would not only cut legal immigration significantly but also restrict family reunification. When asked whether he supported Trump’s decision to place tariffs on Mexico until they stopped illegal immigration, Perdue stated “We’re being invaded right now." In November 2019, Perdue blocked the vote to recognize the Armenian genocide after the White House requested him to do so.

How Do We Calculate How Trumpy a Politician Is?

ThirtyFiveEight allows anyone to see how often politicians, either House or Senate members, vote alongside President Trump. The website is able to make its calculations by collecting data from all decisions made by a specific politician and comparing their vote to the President’s preferred policy outcome. According to the website, David Perdue has voted in agreement with Trump 94.8% of the time. At the end of the day, it’s almost like David Perdue cannot make his own decisions based on what the people of Georgia truly need.

What Do We Do Now?

Vote. Vote to fire David Perdue and elect Jon Ossoff. Jon Ossoff will be significantly less Trumpy than Perdue, with a progressive platform on issues as diverse as healthcare, education, climate change, and criminal justice reform.

If you are able, please consider contributing just $5 to our all-volunteer PAC, The Democratic Senate Action Committee, or donate directly to Jon Ossoff’s campaign here.

To read more about Jon Ossoff’s and David Perdue’s finances click here. To read more about how to vote in Georgia, click here.