Posted on 11/10/2022 2:26:07 PM PST by Dagny Muriel
ATLANTA - The U.S. Senate race in Georgia between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker is heading to a runoff with neither candidate surpassing the 50% threshold.
As of noon Wednesday with 100% of percents reporting, Warnock received 49.42% of the vote wand Walker receiving 48.52% of the vote. Georgia law requires a majority to win statewide office.
Walker, a celebrity athlete turned politician, offered his supporters an optimistic view at his campaign’s election night party in suburban Atlanta.
"I don’t come to lose," Walker said during his brief remarks.
Warnock, a Baptist pastor, spoke to supporters later in the night before all precincts had reported election results. He ended his address by saying, "keep the faith and keep looking up."
"I understand that at this late hour you may be a little tired," the senator continued, "but whether it’s later tonight or tomorrow or four weeks from now, we will hear from the people of Georgia."
A runoff campaign would be a four-week blitz that, depending on the outcomes in other Senate contests, could reprise the 2020 election cycle, when two Senate runoffs in Georgia doubled as a national winner-take-all battle for Senate control. Victories from Warnock and Ossoff left the chamber divided 50-50 between the two major parties, with Vice President Kamala Harris giving Democrats the tie-breaking vote.
Herschel Walker says 'I'm like 'Ricky Bobby' addressing supporters on election night Addressing his supporters during election night Tuesday, Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Georgia Herschel Walker, said he "does not come to lose," likening himself to the fictional movie character "Ricky Bobby" originated by Will Ferrell. At the time of the speech, the race between Walker and Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock was still too close to call.
A runoff would mean another month of Warnock hammering Walker, who is making his first bid for public office, as unqualified and Walker assailing Warnock as a rubber-stamp for the White House.
"Raphael Warnock votes with Joe Biden 96% of the time," Walker has told voters again and again. "He’s forgotten about the people of Georgia."
Warnock, who is also the senior minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, answers that Walker is "not ready" and "not fit" for high office. That’s an allusion to Walker’s rocky past, from allegations of violence against his ex-wife to accusations by two women Walker once dated that he encouraged and paid for their abortions despite his public opposition to abortion rights.
Amid generationally high inflation and with Biden’s popularity lagging in Georgia, Warnock wants voters to make a localized choice, not a national referendum on Democrats as a whole. Georgia’s first Black U.S. senator, Warnock pitches himself as a pragmatist who cuts deals with Republicans when they’re willing and pushes Democratic-backed cost-cutting measures when they’re not. Among the top accomplishments Warnock touts: capping the cost of insulin and other drugs for Medicare recipients.
"I’ll work with anybody to get things done for the people of Georgia," Warnock said.
Walker, meanwhile, denies that he’s ever paid for an abortion. And glossing over a cascade of other stories — documented exaggerations of his business record, academic achievements and philanthropic activities; publicly acknowledging three additional children during the campaign only after media reports on their existence — Walker touts his Christian faith and says his life is a story of "redemption."
Through the scrutiny he calls "foolishness," the Republican nominee has campaigned as a cultural and fiscal conservative. Walker, who is also Black, pledges to "bring people together" while framing Warnock as a divisive figure on matters of race and equality. Walker justifies his attack using snippets of Warnock’s sermons in which the pastor-senator discusses institutional racism.
Republicans used similar tactics against Warnock ahead of his runoff victory on Jan. 5, 2021. Warnock won that contest by about 95,000 votes out of 4.5 million cast.
U Associated Press contributed to this report.
Warnack is a “well-qualified” Democrat Party hack.
Georgia would be better with a novice level conservative.
If Hershel wasn’t such a dear friend of Donald I’d tell him just sit on the sidelines since the GOP bosses are telling Donald don’t bother getting involved. I wonder how they’ll feel the same if Hershel polls behind Warnock weeks before the runoff and they beg donald to get his people to the polls
Warnock is one evil SOB and Walker must win, in spite of The Donald.
I can never see that name ‘Warnock’ without thinking ‘warlock’ and pairing it with that word ‘evil’ figures into the scenario.
I didn’t see the debate, but I’ve seen Walker speak in person from about 25 feet away. He comes across as an ordinary guy who loves America. He can speak well without notes or a teleprompter. He’s not the slick politician type, but he’s far preferable to Warnock on policy, and he’s a million light years ahead of Dementia Joe or Uncle Fester when he talks.
Wasn't it from a run-off election, where someone told Republicans to stay home?
Hope we can learn from past mistakes.
When ya have 2 people and rumors are going wild from all corners...do a check on each. What are their good traits..do they have any.
Walker has spoken to the youth many times.
He speaks well and doesn’t seem to put on a front.
Warnock doesn’t seem to have an honest bone
He supposedly has a church.. which means nothing.
As for children.. biden has not seen one of hunter’s extra children.. and on that laptop is enough to sink the biden family
Exactly if Donald sits this one out and doesn’t say a word how soon before polls show Warnock leading do they call him in
Is Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise going to Georgia? Will they help Walker? Will they go campaign around Georgia, or will they sit back in their DC offices doing interviews on Fox complaining? Will Mitch pull PAC money from Walkers campaign?
Warnock’s record as a ‘man of the cloth” troubles me.
Too phony
<><>Preacher Warnock’s campaign has spent $135.8 million,
<><>Walker’s campaign has spent $32.4 million
This according to data from the FEC. Millions in outside spending are expected to flood the state.
**Millions in outside spending are expected to flood the state.
Already has today
Warnock’s x wife, crying, stood outside his home or church and said he was a good actor and a horrible person.
Warnock has had ads running Walker down.. ads ran continually.. and Walker didn’t have that many millions to do likewise
The outcome depends on whom Kemp favors. He seems to have some control of the vote counting and his preference is not obvious. The man is devious.
Herschel speaks well. He is lots brighter than MSM gives him credit for. He is going to win easily. Once Congress is back in session, they’ll probably do something stupid quick, before Republicans take over. Something that guarantees Walker wins, like mandating sex confused males get to compete against females in sports.
C’mon Donald.......you’re sitting on $100 million.....
Give Herschel just the interest on 100 mill.
And if you sunk a few mill in I bonds you’re getting 9% interest.
Herschel needs it more than you do.
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