Republican Herschel Walker’s longtime friend and political ally, former President Donald Trump, appears to be steering clear of Georgia in the closing days of the U.S. Senate runoff.
Citing campaign officials, the New York Times reports that a Trump rally for Walker in Georgia before the Dec. 6 election presented more risk than rewards for Walker. Instead, Trump is planning a call with Walker supporters, though the timing is up in the air.
Trump held a rally for then-Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue on the eve of the 2021 runoffs, but he spent much of the time casting doubt on the validity of the 2020 election. Both lost their U.S. Senate races to their Democratic challengers: Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
In a sign of how politically mobilizing Trump is for Democrats, Warnock cut a 30-second ad that featured footage of Trump praising Walker during the launch earlier this month of his presidential comeback bid.
It ended with an image of Trump and Walker shaking hands as two lines appear on screen: “Stop Donald Trump. Stop Herschel Walker.”
Walker’s campaign has been careful not to antagonize Trump for fear of alienating his conservative supporters or inviting criticism from Trump himself. Even as he echoes the former president’s rhetoric on cultural issues and benefits from Trump’s endorsement, Walker has kept his physical distance from Trump.
Inside the Walker campaign, word that Trump was steering clear of Georgia was met with a sigh of relief from some. “Thank God,” one Walker aide texted.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Of course, there is a similar dynamic with the Democrats, too. While U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock welcomes former President Barack Obama back for a rally on Thursday, current President Joe Biden hasn’t stepped foot in Georgia in months.
Biden campaigned in swing states with vulnerable candidates during the general election, but that wasn’t the case for Warnock. There is no sign that will change during this runoff window.
Biden is in Michigan talking up manufacturing today. And later this week he will be hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington.
Warnock is more popular in Georgia than Biden, according to polling by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While 49% of voters polled in October said they had a favorable opinion of Warnock, only 40% said the same for Biden.
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Credit: Ben Hendren for the AJC
Credit: Ben Hendren for the AJC
RECORD-SETTING DAY. More than 300,000 Georgians cast votes on Monday, setting a single-day record in Georgia.
Monday was the first day that voting centers were open in all 159 counties ahead of next week’s Senate runoff.
Gabriel Sterling, who is the state’s voting system manager, said there were 51 counties where turnout Monday surpassed 5% of their registered voters.
The highest turnout, according to Sterling, was Greene County where 9.5% of registered voters cast ballots. The highest totals in raw numbers came from Cobb and Fulton counties.
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NO QUESTIONS. While U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock often fields questions from reporters after campaign stops, Herschel Walker has not held a media availability since Oct. 6.
Walker has refused interviews with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and many other outlets throughout the entire campaign. He has instead favored friendlier audiences with Fox News and, occasionally, smaller local radio stations.
Walker hasn’t detailed his stances on topics such as the debt ceiling, the war in Ukraine and disaster funding that the Senate is expected to debate in early 2023.
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Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
ROCK THE VOTE. Dave Matthews played a solo concert at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Cobb County on Monday night to urge the nearly 1,000 people in the audience to get out and vote for U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Between acoustic versions of “Satellite” and “Bartender,” Matthews referred to GOP nominee Herschel Walker only as “that guy from Texas,” and said of the Georgia Senate contest: “Would be funny if it wasn’t so not funny.”
Alvin the Beagle, the dog who has starred in three Warnock commercials so far, was also on hand. Warnock brought the beagle on stage as the event began.
After a brief Q&A with Matthews, whose wife is originally from Atlanta, Warnock asked the audience to vote in the runoff. “I’d be deeply honored to continue to work for you in the United States.”
Click here for more updates from the campaign trail on Monday.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
TODAY ON THE TRAIL:
- Herschel Walker campaigns in Greensboro with RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, and Sen.-elect Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.
- Gov. Brian Kemp will headline a fundraiser for Herschel Walker.
- U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock will hold events in Tifton, Valdosta, and at Ft. Valley State University.
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GROUND GAME. The left-leaning coalition led by America Votes Georgia reached a milestone this week, as its 2,500 volunteers and staffers knocked on more than 2.5 million doors this election cycle.
“On the doors, there is not only a deep emphasis on why this election is important,” said Hillary Holley, a grassroots organizer, “but also voter education information to help inform voters on exactly when and where they’re able to vote.”
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SPEAKER SUCCESSOR. Sheree Ralston, the widow of the late House Speaker David Ralston is considering running for his legislative seat.
Ralston, the executive director of the Fannin County Development Authority, is expected to make her decision within days, said Spiro Amburn, a longtime top aide to the late Speaker.
“She knows whoever gets that seat has big shoes to fill and a legacy to uphold,” said Amburn. “But she also wants to think it through and take a few days beyond the funeral out of respect for her late husband.”
The qualifying period for the now-vacant seat, which represents a mountainous swath of north Georgia, could be as soon as next week. Gov. Brian Kemp set a special election for Jan. 3.
If she runs, Ralston would not have the field to herself. Brian K. Pritchard, the head of the FetchYourNews.com online news site, announced Monday that he will seek the seat. His critics have responded by resurfacing allegations that he may have voted illegally in Georgia while completing a felony sentence.
Other Republicans in the district have also privately suggested they could get into the race, too.
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Credit: Alyssa Pointer/AJC
Credit: Alyssa Pointer/AJC
GOLD DOME DEMOCRATS. There will be little change in the leadership ranks of Georgia Senate Democrats for the 2023-2024 legislative session.
Minority Leader Gloria Butler was reelected as the chamber’s top Democrat, while Elena Parent and Harold Jones II were voted to additional terms in caucus leadership.
The newest member of leadership will be Atlanta Democrat Sonya Halpern, who will become the caucus vice chair.
Meanwhile, officials reported the annual operations budget of the Senate Democratic caucus has roughly quadrupled, from about $315,000 a few years ago to $1.3 million this cycle.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT. Gov. Brian Kemp announced his top office leadership heading into his second term.
Trey Kilpatrick, the governor’s chief of staff, David Dove, executive counsel, and Kelly Farr, the top dog at the Office of Planning and Budget, will remain on in their top jobs.
But Bert Brantley, the governor’s deputy chief of staff, is headed to the private sector to head up the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. Brantley takes the Savannah job as the Georgia Ports in Savannah continue to expand and the massive Hyundai EV Metaplant that Kemp pushed for, now slated for Bryan County, comes to fruition.
Lauren Curry, the state’s current chief operating officer, will take over Brantley’s duties as Deputy Chief of Staff, while Kristyn Long becomes chief operating officer. Brad Bohannon will remain on as director of Governmental Affairs and Policy.
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Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- The U.S. Senate is expected to approve a bill creating federal protections for same-sex marriage.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on the proposed merger between grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons.
- The U.S. House returns this evening.
- The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on a case regarding President Joe Biden’s authority to set immigration policy.
- President Joe Biden will travel to Michigan where he will visit the SK Siltron plant and to talk up a new law boosting semiconductor manufacturing.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass a revised version of legislation that creates federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages, sending the measure back to the House for approval.
The Senate announced a deal last night that would allow three Republican-sponsored amendments to come to the floor before a final vote this afternoon. Under these guidelines, the bill requires 60 votes to pass.
That shouldn’t be a problem because a procedural vote earlier this month on the measure sailed through with the support of 62 senators, including 12 Republicans.
One of the 62 — U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock — likely won’t be in Washington for today’s vote series. He has a full day of campaigning scheduled in Georgia.
The Senate bill has the support of a wide range of religious groups which praised updated language that codifies recognition of legally performed marriages while also clarifying religious freedoms, The Hill reported.
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
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