Georgia: all watching state ahead of Trump rally and Senate debate

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Each side is desperately trying to motivate their party before Monday’s deadline, and early voting begins on December 14. Vice President Mike Pence has rallied with Republicans.

Next in the frantic race is President Donald Trump’s own rally on Saturday to elect Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and protect party control over the chamber. Then on Sunday, Loeffler and Warnock will participate in a debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club.

The focus on Georgia comes as the state is ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. He reported his highest number of cases in a single day on Friday – 5,023 – and saw the postponement of the Georgia-Vanderbilt football game in part because of Covid-19.

Trump faces the task of motivating his own supporters to vote for the two Republican senators after he undermines their faith in the electoral process by falsely decrying that his election was rigged. Since his defeat in Georgia to President-elect Joe Biden, Trump has attacked senior Republican state officials, including Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Kemp certified the results of Biden’s victory, while Raffensperger vehemently defended the state’s electoral integrity.
Trump's criticism of GOP Senate candidates worries Republicans ahead of rally

The president’s continued refusal to concede has worried Republicans determined to prevent democratic control of the Senate. A group of prominent Georgia Republicans, including former Gov. Nathan Deal and former Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, released a statement this week urging the party to unite and focus on electing Loeffler and Lost.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ronna McDaniel on Saturday dismissed concerns that Trump’s message on electoral integrity could deter Republicans in Georgia from voting on Jan.5.

“I think the voters are very supportive of the president. I think they are concerned about the state and the way they have administered the election,” she told Fox News, adding, “However, they want to make sure we keep David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler and they can balance the two. “

There is little evidence that Trump will stop his relentless attacks on the democratic process and state officials in charge of the election.

Some Trump supporters in this Georgia county say the electoral system is `` rigged. '' It could hurt Republicans in January
In recent weeks, Trump has publicly called Raffensperger an “enemy of the people” and privately called Kemp a “jerk” and a “nutty job,” according to two sources. On Saturday – hours before his visit to Peach State – Trump again attacked the two top Georgian officials on Twitter, calling for a signature audit of absentee voting envelopes in the state, while making false statements or misleading about the potential process.

The president also asked in a recent phone call why Loeffler, who ran in a 20-person special election, failed to secure a majority of the vote on election day against Warnock, who received a plurality of voice.

With no Senate candidate getting 50% of the vote in November, the races turned into a particularly nasty second round. Democrats have accused Perdue and Loeffler of profiting from the pandemic, saying their multi-million dollar stock trades have drawn the attention – albeit without charge – from the Justice Department. Meanwhile, Republican senators have said they were cleared in the inquiries and called on Socialists Ossoff and Warnock who would destroy America. Democrats dismissed the attacks as a bogus fear campaign.

Pence said on Friday that Republicans should elect Perdue and Loeffler to defend the achievements of the Trump administration over the past four years.

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“We have to fire them because the Republican Senate majority could be the last line of defense to preserve everything we have done to defend this nation, revive our economy and preserve the God-granted freedoms we hold dear,” Pence said. in Savane.

While Biden narrowly won Georgia – the first time for a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992 – Republicans have a number of advantages in both races. The state has not sent a Democrat to the Senate for 20 years. Last month, Perdue received tens of thousands more votes than Ossoff. And Republicans spend about $ 38 million more on advertising than Democrats, according to data from Kantar Media / CMAG.

But Democrats hope the Republican struggle within the party, voter registration campaigns by Abrams and others, and the state’s rapid suburban diversification will fuel their victories and overthrow the Senate.

“The special elections in Georgia will ultimately determine the course of Biden’s presidency,” Obama said at Friday’s virtual event.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond, Jason Hoffman and Liz Turrell contributed to this report.

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