Democrats: Go All In On Georgia
Georgia politics is as ripe as a peach for picking. If Democrats want to win both the Presidency and Senate this fall, they should rip that peach from its branch. And I mean rip. Republicans have played dirty in Georgia politics for years, doing everything in their power to limit the voting ability and access for people of color and of lower-incomes, the majority of whom vote Democrat. They have conducted this suppression under the guise of voter fraud, despite evidence that indicates these fraud cases are relatively rare.
With the recent deadly white police officer shooting of Rayshard Brooks, a black man only armed with a taser, a powder keg of issues promise to explode in Georgia politics this fall. Voters are tired of the old ways that have run the state for the last two decades. Georgia has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in the past twenty years. Incumbent Republicans are vulnerable. Democrats should seize the opportunity and direct a majority of their focus and funding into the two 2020 U.S. Senate races up for grabs in the state. Yes, Georgia has two Senate seats ripe for picking, both currently controlled by Republicans. Under Mitch McConnell, Republicans hold a 53 seat majority in the U.S. Senate, so losing two seats in Georgia – or even one for that matter – would be devastating.
Joe Biden should also look to Georgia for his Vice Presidential nominee. Stacey Abrams is a force to be reckoned with. Apart from her three degrees – Spelman College (BA), University Texas at Austin (MPA), and Yale University (JD) – she spent a decade in the Georgia House of Representatives and came within less than 55,000 votes of beating Brian Kemp in the 2018 gubernatorial contest. Kemp was the Georgia Secretary of State at the time and had oversight authority of the election. Despite this conflicting authority, he refused to recuse himself when running for governor (courts did not stop him either).
Abrams made a novel push at voter registration for as many disenfranchised Georgians as possible. Even with the deck stacked against her, Abrams put fear in the minds of Georgia Republicans intent on limiting voters at all costs. At the national level, Biden should harness Abrams’ energy and appeal as an African-American woman, particularly at a time with racial tension in America at its zenith.
“We must cease being participants in our own oppression.” – Stacey Abrams
In the Georgia U.S. Senate races, Jon Ossoff’s recent Democratic primary win may have raised some eyebrows given his lack of public service experience, but his energy and enthusiasm could surprise the incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue this fall. Ossoff was a national security staffer for a Congressman for five years and held a top-secret security clearance for five months before leaving to study at the London School of Economics. He is currently a political documentary filmmaker. While he may be light on experience, he is young (age 33) and a proven campaign fundraiser. Although he lost a special Congressional election in 2017, he broke national fundraising records for a U.S. House candidate. If he can inspire voter turnout amongst young people, he could give the incumbent Republican a run for his money.
The other Georgia U.S. Senate seat is currently held by Kelly Loeffler. She was part of the motley crew (that also included Senator David Perdue) who sold stock immediately after briefings in the weeks building up to the Coronavirus pandemic. Loeffler’s activity was some of the most egregious. She offloaded $20 million of stock immediately following the non-public information she received about the pandemic. Governor Brian Kemp – yes, the same one who “beat” Abrams – had recently appointed her to the vacant seat in early 2020. During this short time in office, Loeffler arguably already committed securities fraud, although she recently agreed to divest from individual stocks and was cleared of criminal wrongdoing.
All of this creates ideal conditions for Rev. Raphael Warnock, the main Democratic challenger, to take Loeffler’s seat. The African-American pastor has already received major endorsements from the likes of Abrams, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, and other top Democrats. At a time when racial justice is top of mind, Rev. Warnock’s rhetoric and compelling style could have a significant impact that turns the tide of Georgia’s representation in the U.S. Senate.
The Cook Political Group, a nonpartisan organization, has already highlighted the tightening poll numbers in these races. They have called “Georgia a state to watch at nearly every level in 2020.” The Democrats need to jump at this opportunity. In addition to applying pressure in both Georgia Senate races, Democrats should seriously consider convincing Stacey Abrams to join Biden in the effort to defeat the present dictator-in-chief. This move would energize the base and inspire greater voter turnout. A strong Vice President will also mitigate damage from the Biden gaffes that will undoubtedly continue to happen (“you’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier!”).
Democrats, the strategy should be clear in the 2020 elections. The key to the White House and U.S. Senate is the Georgia peach.
