Savannah - Vice President Mike Pence is returning to Georgia on Friday for the second time in two weeks to stump for Republican runoff candidates, part of the all-out GOP push to convince rank-and-file voters to return to the polls ahead of the Jan. 5 vote to decide control of the U.S. Senate.
At roughly the same time as Pence rallies with U.S. Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in Savannah, former President Barack Obama will hold a virtual campaign stop with Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock as both parties race to mobilize core supporters.
Before Pence flies to Savannah for the 3 p.m. rally, the vice president will also meet with coronavirus experts in Atlanta at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That event is scheduled for noon.
Pence and other Republicans have called Loeffler and Perdue a “firewall” to defend against a Democratic takeover of the U.S. Senate, even as they’ve refused to explicitly acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
They’ve also wrestled with President Donald Trump’s false claims of a “rigged” election, which has sparked fears among senior Republicans that conflicting messages could lead some GOP loyalists to stay home.
Like his last visit, the timing of Pence’s trip comes at an awkward moment for Republicans.
During his Nov. 20 campaign stop, election officials certified Joe Biden’s victory in the state. When he visits on Friday, his trip is expected to coincide with the announcement that a second recount confirms Trump’s defeat.
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