Because neither of Georgia’s senators drew a majority on Election Day, both of their races have been sent to runoffs in January, and these elections will likely determine which party is in control of the Senate. The Georgia state runoffs are a big deal! Historically, Georgia has been held by Republicans, but recently, there are signs that the state is shifting towards being Democratic.
First, we should address: What exactly is a runoff election?
A runoff election occurs when neither candidate wins a majority of the votes, so a second election is held to determine the winner. According to Georgia law, a candidate must receive the majority of the votes to be declared the winner. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, then the top two candidates will face off in a second election.
Now, let’s meet the candidates:
The Perdue-Ossoff runoff:
First up, we have a wealthy businessman and consultant who was the CEO of Reebok and chair and CEO of Dollar General. Perdue is facing a re-election race for the seat he won in 2014. Prior to 2014, Perdue had no political experience, but chose to run for office to “shake up” Washington. Currently, Perdue serves on the Armed Services, Banking, Budget, and Foreign Relations committees, and is known as an ally to Trump.
Is challenging Perdue’s senate seat. Ossoff is an investigative journalist and the 2017 Democratic nominee for Georgia’s 6th District. Ossoff launched his US Senate campaign in September 2019, and his campaign platform emphasizes expanding access to affordable healthcare and protecting Social Security, combating climate change, and investing in green infrastructure, and supporting small businesses (Business Insider).
The Warnock-Loeffler runoff:
was appointed last year after Senator Johnny Iakson retired due to health issues. A wealthy businesswoman and political newcomer, Loeffler was chosen by Kemp as his successor due to the level of personal wealth she could contribute to her campaign, and her potential to win over suburban female voters (Business Insider). According to her campaign website, Loeffler has worked to spur economic growth, crackdown on illegal immigration, champion fair trade deals, protect farmers, and keep families safe. She is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Warnock was backed by the DSCC, the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm (Business Insider). According to Warnock’s campaign website, he will fight for quality, affordable health care, for the dignity of working people who are paid too little, and to make sure every voice is heard.
GEORGIA SENATE RUNOFF DATES
December 7 – Deadline for Voter Registration
December 14 – Early voting begins
January 5 – Election Day