Georgia won’t be on the Senate battleground map next time around — but it will be hotly contested in the presidential race after emerging as a new Southern swing state in recent years. Democrat Stacey Abrams’ narrow loss to GOP Gov. Brian Kemp in 2018 was soon followed by President Joe Biden’s victory in the state and the pair of Senate victories months later.
This November saw a return to Republicans, with Kemp winning again in his rematch with Abrams and the GOP going through every race statewide – except for the Senate contest, where Warnock finished a point ahead of Walker but neither could capture a majority, triggering the runoff.
Both parties also expect the second round to be close, with a high turnout, especially compared to previous elections. The early voting period saw several single-day turnout records set.
Walker has been repeatedly dogged by scandals throughout the general election campaign – one of a string of candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the 2022 primaries who ran into trouble in the presidential campaigns. ‘fall.
As a candidate, Walker said he was against access to abortion and anything that weakens families, such as absent fatherhood. But ahead of the general election, Walker was accused of encouraging and paying several women to have abortions, allegations he denied. Her son, in a Twitter video, accused Walker of domestic violence against his mother. And another ex-girlfriend accused him of domestic violence during their relationship.
The Daily Beast also reported that Walker had three children out of wedlock, including a young son he hadn’t seen in person in years. POLITICO has not independently verified this information.
But Warnock also made missteps. The senator has been criticized for using campaign funds to pursue legal action against him. And the Walker campaign brought the affairs of the Warnock church into the running. Ebenezer Baptist, where Warnock serves as senior pastor, is a co-owner of a low-income building that has requested the eviction of some tenants over low rents owed.
Warnock said he was not involved in the apartment building business and no one had been evicted. Republicans also highlighted Warnock’s own domestic issues, including featuring police body camera footage in ads of his ex-wife saying the senator behaved like an “actor” in public.
Warnock enjoyed a distinct fundraising and spending advantage: it raised more than double what Walker brought in this election cycle, which translated into more publicity over the long campaign season, including ads about the domestic violence allegations against Walker.
Walker leaned on Kemp in the runoff, following Kemp’s re-election in November. The governor loaned his field organizing team to the Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP Senate super PAC backing Walker, and he began appearing at campaign events with Walker. Kemp even cut a commercial airing in his name.
After Trump-backed candidates challenged Kemp and other Republicans lost in Georgia in the primaries, the former president stayed away from the state. Instead of a runoff appearance, Trump hosted a tele-rally for Walker on Monday night to help swell his core voters.
