Georgia is ground zero in a battle that will determine how effective President-elect Joe Biden can be over the next four years. If Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock win both seats in January’s runoff races, control of the Senate shifts to their party, handing Biden a lot more power and influence to push through his agenda.
With so much at stake, after Biden’s Tuesday visit in Georgia to campaign alongside Ossoff and Warnock, he’s now urging voters with a new ad, “Asking You,” underscoring the broad consequence if Georgians send even one Republican back to Washington.
“Georgia, I know things are tough right now, but I want you to know help is on the way,” Biden starts out, assuring voters he’s prepared – on Day One in office – to sign a COVID relief package that fully funds the country’s health response and makes testing and vaccinations free for everyone. He says it would also help small businesses stay afloat.
“Let me be clear. I need Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the United States Senate to get this done.”
With 50 Senate seats secured, Republicans can stay in control by winning just one of the runoff races. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who finally acknowledged Biden’s win this week, would keep his powerful position.
“There are folks in Congress doing everything they can to block our efforts. We need you to get out there and vote for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. We need them in the Senate.”
During this week’s campaign stop, Biden warned supporters if Republicans remain in power, his administration will be up against the same obstruction former President Barack Obama faced during his time in office.
Ossoff echoed the president-elect’s message in a one-on-one interview with rolling out’s editor-at-large, Rashad Richey, this week.
“We can make the next two years the most productive for civil rights and voting rights legislation since 1964 and 1965,” Ossoff said, outlining plans and policies on health care, criminal justice reform, free college and student loan relief, infrastructure and clean energy program that creates jobs, “but if we don’t win these two Senate races, Republicans in Washington will block all of them. So, we got to get out and vote.”
Early voting is underway for the Jan. 5th runoff races. Find your polling location on My Voter Page.
