Loeffler And Perdue Fail To Escape Trump’s Shadow At Rally Meant To Boost Them

Topline

Despite nominally traveling to Georgia to campaign on behalf of Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.), President Trump made himself the focus at his rally on Saturday as the Republican senators struggled to gain the support or attention of the crowd.

Key Facts

Key Background

Loeffler and Perdue both failed to clear the 50% threshold in the initial election on Nov. 3 to avoid a runoff and will face Democrats Jon Ossoff, a filmmaker, and Raphael Warnock, a pastor, on Jan. 5. 

Big Number

48%. That’s the share of voters who say they support Democrat Jon Ossoff in the poll by Trafalgar Group, a firm that predicted Trump would win the election. Ossoff edges out Perdue by just 1 point. Loeffler fares better, however: she leads Democrat Raphael Warnock by 5 points, 50% to 45%.

Crucial Quote

“We can fight for the presidency and fight to elect our two great senators and we can do it at the same time. We can do it at the same time, it’s alright,” Trump said, despite concerns from some Republicans – including his own campaign – that the voter fraud rhetoric pushed by him and his allies may depress GOP turnout in the runoffs.

Surprising Fact

Trump repeatedly tacitly acknowledged Biden’s victory while noting the importance of the runoff. “At stake in this election is control of the U.S. Senate… the voters in Georgia will determine which party runs every committee, writes every piece of legislation,” Trump said. Given that Republicans already have 50 seats without the runoffs, Kamala Harris’ status as Vice President-elect and future tiebreaker in the Senate gives Democrats their only hope at a majority.