Although the U.S. Senate runoff election between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Republican rival Herschel Walker will not determine the balance of power in the chamber, the result will provide more political leverage to the winning candidate’s party during the upcoming legislative session.
The result of recent midterm elections determined that Democrats have a 50-49 advantage, which guarantees the party will have control of the chamber since Vice President Kamala Harris represents the tie-breaking vote.
A razor-thin margin in Georgia’s race triggered a runoff election scheduled for next month — and voters in the state are clearly motivated to register their preferences.
State election officials reported that a record-breaking 239,160 early voters cast ballots statewide on Monday. The total is nearly 6,000 higher than the prior early voting record set in 2018.
Warnock, who was elected in another runoff election in January, has spent his limited time in the Senate pushing for the Biden administration’s leftist agenda.
Walker is hoping that President Joe Biden’s low approval rating will help seal Warnock’s fate in the upcoming election. The former NFL running back is also painting the incumbent senator as a divisive figure who is unfit to represent Georgia in Congress.
“Sen. Warnock believes America is a bad country full of racist people,” Walker asserted in a campaign ad. “I believe we’re a great country full of generous people. Warnock wants to divide us. I want to bring us together.”
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders continue to suggest that Georgia’s voting system is inherently designed to suppress the minority vote — despite the fact that election turnout continues to break new records.
Earlier this year, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that “high turnout and voter suppression can take place at the same time,” asserting: “One doesn’t have to happen on its own.”
It remains to be seen which candidate’s message will resonate with the most voters, but Walker has expressed confidence in his chances to unseat the incumbent Democrat.
Great to have @BrianKempGA and @GAFirstLady join Julie and I today with a great crowd in Smyrna! The people are ready to evict Raphael Warnock on December 6th! #gasen #gapol #gasenrunoff pic.twitter.com/YqJzd13WC7
— Herschel Walker (@HerschelWalker) November 19, 2022
While Democrats have outspent Republicans in advertising thus far, Walker’s campaign has reportedly put nearly $16 million into television ads since the general election.
GOP Gov. Brian Kemp has hit the campaign trail in support of Walker, asking a crowd at a recent Cobb County rally: “Who do you want to fight for you in the United States Senate? Do you want a guy that represents our values like Herschel Walker or do you want a guy who’s stood with Joe Biden 96% of the time?”
Polling results show that the two candidates remain in a dead heat with just one week until the election.
