Donald Trump warns Georgia Senate poll candidates will have 'bad day' if state GOP don't overturn results
The Electoral College (EC) met on Monday, December 14, to formalize the results of the 2020 presidential election that went to Democrat Joe Biden, shattering incumbent President Donald Trump’s dreams of making a return. Trump and his legal aides have been continuing with their efforts to reverse the results but not a single judicial decision has gone in their favor.
Amid the disappointment, Trump has his eyes set on Georgia, the red state that the Republicans lost to the Democrats after a gap of 28 years and which will soon witness a couple of key Senate runoff elections. The president recently stressed on the point of a “rigged election” at a rally in Valdosta, Georgia, where he campaigned for the two GOP incumbent Senators — Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. He encouraged the voters to come out in support of the duo even though some of his staunch allies advised them to stay away from another “rigged election”. On December 14, Trump tweeted, saying the two Senate candidates could have a “bad day” on January 5 if the results of the November 3 election were not overturned.
Taking a dig at the Peach State’s GOP Governor Brian Kemp, the president said: “What a fool Governor @BrianKempGA of Georgia is. Could have been so easy, but now we have to do it the hard way. Demand this clown call a Special Session and open up signature verification, NOW. Otherwise, could be a bad day for two GREAT Senators on January 5th.”
What a fool Governor @BrianKempGA of Georgia is. Could have been so easy, but now we have to do it the hard way. Demand this clown call a Special Session and open up signature verification, NOW. Otherwise, could be a bad day for two GREAT Senators on January 5th.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
Trump has also slammed Georgia’s GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for acknowledging Biden’s victory. On December 14, Democrat Stacey Abrams, the minority leader of Georgia House of Representative, presided as Georgia saw its 16 EC votes cast in favor of the former vice president.
In another attacking tweet, Trump said: "Democrats weakened the Signature Verification (and other) safeguards in Georgia. @staceyabrams played @BrianKempGA & Secretary of State, for fools. Consent Decree, which is terrible for Republicans (and honest people!), must be opened up NOW - David, Kelly, and I will then win!”
Democrats weakened the Signature Verification (and other) safeguards in Georgia. @staceyabrams played @BrianKempGA & Secretary of State, for fools. Consent Decree, which is terrible for Republicans (and honest people!), must be opened up NOW - David, Kelly, and I will then win!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
The tweet was blue-flagged by Twitter on grounds that the president’s claim of election fraud was disputed.
Loeffler will face Raphael Warnock while Perdue will be challenged by Jon Ossoff in the runoff elections. The results of the two elections are of great significance for both parties. If the GOP retains the seats, it will end up retaining dominance of the chamber with 52-48 lead and keep the incoming Biden administration under pressure from Day 1. If the Dems win the two seats, the Senate seat-sharing will end up 50-50 with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, a Democrat, having the tie-breaking vote. That will assure President-elect Joe Biden runs the administration more fluently.
Recently, Kemp turned down Trump’s demand for a “special session” more than once to oppose the election results. Earlier in December, Kemp and Lt Governor Geoff Duncan said in an official statement that any attempt by the legislature “to retroactively change that process for the November 3 election would be unconstitutional and immediately enjoined by the courts, resulting in a long legal dispute and no short-term resolution".