ATLANTA, GA – An impassioned Former President Barack ObamaHe urged Georgians that Sen. Raphael Warnock be reelected as he headed a large rally in support of the first-term Democratic lawmaker, who will face off with Republican challenger Herschel.
Obama repeatedly criticized Walker and questioned his ability to serve in Congress.
Former president charged that Walker, a candidate for the first timeA former football star at college and pro, he lacks the “confidence, the character, and the track record for service that would justify him representing Georgia in Congress right now.”
And taking aim at some of the controversial comments Walker’s made in recent weeks – including telling supporters that “I don’t want to be a vampire anymore, I want to be a werewolf” – Obama jabbed at Warnock’s opponent, saying “Mr. Walker has been talking about the issues of great importance to the people of Georgia.”
HERSCHEL WALKER SAYS RECORD VOTER TURNOUT IN GEORGIA’S SENATE RUNOFF ‘LOOKS GOOD FOR ME’
Former President Barack Obama joined Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, Georgia for a rally in Atlanta, Georgia on December 1, 2022. Warnock will be facing Republican challenger Herschel Wade on Dec. 6, in a Senate race.
(Fox News )
Walker attacked Obama just before the former president’s funeral Return to GeorgiaHe called him an “actor,” and other criticisms.
Walker, a former professional and college football star who won the Heisman Trophy and steered the Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship, was narrowly edged by Warnock – the pastor at Atlanta’s famed Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached – in November’s general election. Walker was defeated by Warnock, who received 37,000 of the nearly 4,000,000 votes cast. But, neither candidate was able to get more than half of the votes required under Georgia law to win the race. The race moved to a runoff.
FIRST ON FOX: WALKER, FACING NEW CONTROVERSY, SAYS ‘I’M A RESIDENT OF GEORGIA’
This was Obama’s second trip to Georgia within a little over a month. In late October, the former president joined forces with Warnock as well as Stacey Abrams, 2022 gubernatorial candidate at a large rally near Atlanta’s Airport. This was just before the November general elections.
Obama joined Warnock just before the last day of early voting to ensure a runoff election.
Right, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), shakes hands during a rally in Atlanta on Thursday, December 1, 2022. Warnock will be running against Republican Herschel Walk in a runoff election.
(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
“I’m here for the same reason I was here last time,” Obama told the crowd that Warnock’s campaign estimated at roughly 5,000, as he urged them “to vote for your outstanding senator.”
The former president stressed that “Tomorrow is your last day of early voting and you must get people out to vote on Tuesday.” “I’m counting on you to do it.”
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According to state officials more than 1,000,000 Georgians have cast ballots already. Democrats have aggressively urged their supporters get to the polls to give Warnock advantage for next Tuesday’s contest.
Democrats point to early voting data showing high turnout so far for blue counties and congressional district. Walker refuted the idea that Warnock or the Democrats were dominant early voting in the Georgia runoff
Herschel Walker, GOP Senate nominee, holds an event in Dalton (Georgia) on Nov. 30, 2022 ahead of the Dec. 6 Senate race.
(Fox News)
Walker said that “the people right now are being their voices heard, their vote is counted and I’m happy about the turnout because it looks good for my,” in an interview with Fox News from his campaign bus, following an event in Dalton in Georgia on Wednesday.
The Democrats now have control of both the Senate and the majority of the chamber. However, unlike two years ago when they won the Georgia Senate runoffs with the Democrats, there is concern that Democratic voters may not feel the need to vote.
What is the difference between 51 and 50? Obama highlighted that the answer is quite a bit. “Let me simplify it for you. Democrats have more room to work on important bills with an extra senator. It stops one person holding out on everything.”
“It also places us in an even better position in two years when you have another election. But then the Senate map is going to be tilted in favor of Republicans and it’ll help prevent them from getting a filibuster-proof majority,” Obama added.
Republicans also have concerns about their voters going bankrupt.
Ralph Reed, founder and former chair of the Georgia GOP’s evangelical Christian Faith and Freedom Coalition, disagreed. He said to Fox News that Walker is “mad” and that they wanted to strike someone.
Reed pointed out that the Democrats will be able to control the Senate committees if they win the Georgia runoff. (Democrats would still enjoy the majority due to Vice President Kamala Harir’s tie breaking vote through the Constitution role of the president of the Senate). Reed stressed that “we’ve been in a position to explain to voters, and the activists, the difference between a 50-50 Senate or a 51-49 Senate.”
This report was contributed by Jake Karalexis, Fox News
