Post-Labor Day sprint to election day begins
Holiday weekend kicks off final sprint to reach voters
The post-Labor Day sprint to election day has officially begun.
For the next two months, candidates in Georgia’s biggest races will be rushing to reach every last voter to make their final pitches ahead of election day.
Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is looking to fend off a second challenge from his Democratic archrival, Stacey Abrams. And the race seems likely to end the same way their 2018 race did: another razor-thin result.
Republicans are also defending every statewide office, from Lieutenant Governor, to Attorney General and Secretary of State. They are almost certainly going to retain their majorities in the state legislature, thanks to redrawn political maps and the number of uncontested seats.
And of course there is the race for U.S. Senate. Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, less then two years after his upset victory in a special election runoff, is now asking voters for a full six-year term. He is facing off against Republican Herschel Walker in a race that could tip the balance of power in Washington.
U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop (D) is running for re-election in Georgia’s only competitive congressional race. His Southwest Georgia district was slightly redrawn as more favorable for Republicans.
Ordinarily, you would expect this year to be a great year for Republicans. The party that controls Washington normally faces political headwinds in midterm elections.
But after a series of big legislative wins for Democrats over the summer have started to translate to electoral success. President Joe Biden’s approval ratings have climbed from record lows in recent weeks, and Democrats have won several competitive special elections from Alaska to Upstate New York.
Republicans are still trying to bring economic issues front and center in this campaign. Gov. Kemp has campaigned on suspended the state fuel tax and is promising to send out more tax rebates if he is re-elected.
The campaign was recently rocked by the news that Wellstar Health Center will be closing down the Atlanta Medical Center by the end of the year. Local and state officials said they were blindsided by the news, but Democrats continue to believe that hospital closures like this will only continue to happen if the state doesn’t expand Medicaid.
Abortion rights have also vaulted to the top of important issues in this election, following the Supreme Court’s blockbuster decision that wiped away nearly half a century of federal abortion rights. Republican state legislators have said that more restrictive abortion bans could be coming if Gov. Kemp is re-elected. Democrats, meanwhile, have suggested that they will not defend any abortion bans in court if they are victorious in this year’s statewide races.
It goes without saying that more fundraising records are going to be shattered in this campaign. Hundreds of millions of dollars in outside money will be flowing in on behalf of both parties.
“So far, more than $217 million has been spent or booked for TV ads in the Senate race. That’s $121 million to back Warnock and $96 million for Walker.”
“In the race for governor, Democrats have a hefty advantage, too. Abrams and her allies account for $41 million in spending, compared with $28 million backing Kemp’s bid for a second term.”
Make no mistake: there is still a lot about this election that we don’t know, and won’t know until election day. But we know that these are going to be extremely close contests that will be influenced by millions of dollars in outside money.
DATES TO REMEMEBER
October 10: Absentee ballots begin to be mailed
October 11: Deadline to register to vote
October 17: Early in-person voting begins
October 28: Last day to request an absentee ballot
November 8: Election Day
Thank you young man another informative well written article.
Vote💙