Georgians vote in pivotal runoff elections
Georgians headed to the polls on Tuesday to vote in two crucial, runoff elections, which will determine control of the U.S. Senate and with it, the likely fate of President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.
Georgia voters know what's at stake in races that have shattered records for cash spent and early votes cast.
Patsy Jones, Georgia voter: "God gave us a voice to be heard, to speak for what we believe in. And it's left up to us to use it."
The races pit a preacher and a documentary filmmaker, both Democrats against two incumbent Republicans, both of them, former CEOs.
Rev. Raphael Warnock, who grew up in public housing, is the pastor of the church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached. Jon Ossoff, at age 33, would be the Senate’s youngest member if elected and the youngest freshman senator in 40 years.
They are trying to deny a return to Washington for Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Perdue, a former executive of Reebok and Dollar General, has been criticized by his opponent Ossoff for frequent stock trades at the start of the pandemic.
While Loeffler is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
Loeffler: "We're gonna get this done. All right, Georgia"
The former financial executive co-owns the Atlanta Dream, a WNBA team, and is married to the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.
President Donald Trump: "This could be the most important vote you will ever cast"
Both sides on Monday got a last-minute boost from the top of the party.
Ossoff and Warnock from Biden, whose victory in the traditionally red state is giving Democrats hope for another upset.
Biden: "They're principled, they're qualified, they're decent."
Meanwhile Trump held a rally for Loeffler and Perdue: "If these two don't win, we would have a country run by Schumer and Pelosi... and Biden!"
Georgia has been a frequent target of Trump's attacks.
On Saturday, he tried to pressure Georgia’s secretary of state, a fellow Republican, to "find" votes to reverse Biden's victory, arguing without evidence that fraud cost him the election.
Polls show a tight race in Georgia...
Republicans need just one win -- to retain their majority in the Senate and with it, the ability to block Biden's most ambitious goals.
Democrats need to produce a 50-50 split in the Senate, effectively giving Democrats control, since Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris would hold the tie-breaking vote.
