United States: Democrats seek to consolidate control of the Senate with the ballot in the state of Georgia

Democrats and President Joe Biden took a breather after the November midterm elections because there was no republican flood that the polls predicted.

But when the whole United States is already preparing for the holidays, cutting trees and decorating houses with lights to close the year, in Georgia they still have no electoral truce: this Tuesday they have the crucial mission of seal the composition of the Senate and they might even widen the difference in favor of the ruling party.

Voters of the “Stato delle Pesche” (the state of peaches, for the typical fruit of the area) they have to vote in a second round this will determine whether Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock can beat his controversial Republican rival Herschel Walker.

On November 8, Warnock edged Walker by a few points but neither of them reached 50% of the vote, which is why the ballot to be held this Tuesday has been activated.

The majority

In the legislative elections of November 8, Democrats were able to secure a majority in the Senate with victories in other states, but that doesn’t mean that now there is nothing at stake, that the electoral effervescence seems to have passed.

Elections in Georgia will determine if the upper house remains evenly split 50-50, as before, which proved to be a very fine line for President Biden and the Democrats, because they only had Vice President Kamala Harris to cast the deciding votes.

That reality has frustrated progressive activists, who have denounced like in Biden’s first two years hardly a moderate or more conservative Democrat of the Senate has watered down or blocked its legislative priorities on multiple issues.

Beyond the convenience of passing some laws on the Democratic agenda, a 51-49 majority would give the White House a cushion on judicial appointments, ambassadors, civil servants and other important confirmations for the next two years. Also, they could have more control over House committees.

“That 51st grade is a big difference and gives you some confidence”said Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, a Georgia-based voting rights group.

The Republicans

The Republicans, on the other hand, seek with a victory in that state to recover from the blow they have not won widely as they expected (they narrowly regained the House of Representatives and many of Trump’s favorite candidates have lost) and try to reinvigorate and get back on track for the 2024 presidential election.

Democrat Warnock was trying to focus the latter part of the campaign on Walker’s character and ability to serve. The Republican is a former footballer with no political experience.ultra-conservative, jumped into the electoral arena promoted by former President Donald Trump, like so many celebrities promoted by him in the last election.

Beyond his abilities, Walker was surrounded by scandals because he revealed in a book that he suffered from personality delusions, who beat his ex-wife and, in addition, two ex-girlfriends arrived who denounced having paid for the abortions. One of them also said that she had a son with him to whom she does not give any money. One of the pillars of the Republican campaign was family values ​​and the rejection of abortion.

Walker instead tried to strike back with high-ranking Republican officials who went to campaign in Georgia andaccuses Biden of being unpopularwhich is unable to straighten the economy and which has launched a culture war in the country.

A CNN poll from last weekend showed Warnock had a slim 4-point lead over Walker, just above the margin of error. The poll also revealed that Warnock and the Democrat attacks on Walker worked as 59% say the former footballer is not trustworthy.

Experts believe participation will be the key to tipping the balance. More than 1.8 million have already voted early, which is significantly higher than usual.

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