With Election Day over and results in, Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp is re-elected, defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams. These two also faced off in the previous governor election in 2018 with the same result. This win was not unexpected as Gov. Kemp had been ahead in the polls according to NBC News.
With his re-election, his initiative and priorities are clear: to make Georgia #1 for small businesses, reform the state government, strengthen rural Georgia and overall put Georgia citizens first.
Gov. Kemp is ready for the next four years and said “come January 2023, we’re going to send another billion dollars back to the taxpayers. We’re also going to give you relief on your property taxes as well.” Because of the emphasis on his efforts to boost the economy and also bring down crime rates, Gov. Kemp’s overall agenda is packed.
There was a run-off in the Georgia Senate race between Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. According to Politico, in the Nov. 8 election, Warnock led by 35,000 votes, but both candidates failed to get at least 50% majority. The run-off will take place on Dec. 6. Both campaigns are gearing up for the next couple weeks to win over the voters.
This election is extremely important to which party ultimately has control of the Senate. As of right now, the Democrats hold control of the Senate. The election will determine whether the Democrat has control of the Senate or if the Senate is split at 50-50. Also, it will be critical for the Democrats in the next election cycle.
Both candidates are back on the campaign trails rallying support for the Dec. 6 election. During a campaign speech, Warnock said, “I came really to ask you one question: Are you ready to do this one more time?” Warnock mainly advocates for the expansion of healthcare coverage along with increasing the living wage for all Georgia citizens.“The choice between me and Herschel Walker is clear. Some things in life are complicated. This ain’t one of them. This is not a math test.”
Walker said, “We are in overtime. We got a runoff. I was built for this. God prepared me for this moment right here.” He bases his campaign on his four-part plan that will work to unite and restore Georgia. This plan includes “bringing people together by rebuilding our economy, strengthening our national security, making Georgia communities safer and keeping the American Dream alive for everyone.”
Some members of the Republican Party recognized Walker’s lack of votes inthe election, but others are hopeful for the runoff.
The runoff is getting very heated as there is now a lawsuit that could affect the voter turnout. According to APNews, Sen. Raphael Warnock’s campaign and other Democratic groups are suing the state of Georgia. The lawsuit works to overturn guidance from Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. He does not want Saturday voting to be offered for the Senate runoff election.
Warnock claims that the holding of early voting on Nov. 26 will hurt him more than Walker. According to Deputy Secretary of State Gabriel Sterling, officials researched and declared that it would be illegal to have early voting the day after a major holiday.