Georgia is going to be the center of the political universe for the next two months, as Sen. David Perdue fell below 50%, forcing him to a runoff election against Jon Ossoff. Raphael Warnock and appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler were already slated for a runoff, so that means two Senate seats remain at stake—and they will determine control of the chamber.
“This race is headed to a runoff,” Ossoff said Friday morning. And in that runoff, “Retirement is coming for Sen. David Perdue,” Ossoff pledged.
Ossoff also linked Perdue to Donald Trump, who currently trails in the presidential race in Georgia, saying Perdue “cannot defend being such a weak enabler of this president.” Trump will still be in the White House at the time of the January 5, 2021 runoffs for both Ossoff and Warnock, and his sore loser behavior could well be a drag on his fellow Republicans.
Control of the Senate is on the line. Can you give $3 each to Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock?
“With his focus on the issues that matter to families across his state, like improving access to quality, affordable health care and rooting out political corruption in Washington, Jon Ossoff has advanced to one of Georgia’s two competitive runoff elections that keep the fight for the majority firmly in play,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Catherine Cortez Masto said in a statement. “Both Jon and Reverend Raphael Warnock will be independent leaders who stand up for Georgians—not the special interests. We are thrilled to support these great candidates in these critical elections, and are confident the momentum that has powered their campaigns will carry them to victory in January.”
Georgia’s 50% threshold is a relic of Jim Crow, when it was put into place to keep Black people from gaining political power. In 2020, it forced Warnock to a runoff—so it worked as planned—but then it did the same to Perdue—which was not how it’s supposed to work.
Note these key dates and register to vote now if you haven’t already.