OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The Georgia Senate campaign between Republican candidate Herschel Walker and Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock is headed to a runoff.
In order to win the election a candidate has to get 50 percent of the vote, which neither candidate did, CNN reported.
Depending on the outcome of Senate races in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada, voters in Georgia could then – for the second consecutive election cycle – have the Senate majority in their hands.
That the race was so tight underscores the prevalence of ticket-splitters in Georgia this year. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp comfortably defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams, CNN projected, but Walker has lagged Kemp’s margin all night, while Warnock has outpaced Abrams.
In brief remarks on Tuesday night, Walker asked supporters gathered in a hotel ballroom to “hang in there a little bit longer.”
“I’m telling you right now – I didn’t come to lose,” Walker said.
The Democrat senator did not address the crowd but did quip to a CNN reporter that “I think that there is bipartisan agreement that we (would) rather not have politics and Thanksgiving mixed together.”
Late last week, Warnock was hit with accusations that he funneled more than $60,000 in childcare expenses from his campaign a Federal Election Commission report said, the Daily Wire reported.
Warnock’s campaign, according to the filings, spent a total of $61,959.40 for items listed as “childcare” — with several payments going directly to specific childcare providers and a number of payments going to an organization called “Bright Start Nanny Service.” Bright Start is listed online as an employment agency that provides full-service child care.
While the FEC does allow payments for childcare to come from campaign funds, that usually refers to single payments for specific events — and Warnock appears to be using those funds to pay the bulk of his childcare expenses. Only one of the 33 listed payments — disbursed on September 26, 2022 — was described in the subject line as “childcare expenses (campaign-related).” The largest single payment — totaling over $11,000 — was made directly to Warnock himself and was described as “childcare reimbursement.” The others were simply described as “childcare.”
The senator had previously been criticized for that showed that his church owned a building in a low-income area and had attempted to evict tenants during the pandemic.
“NEW: Records obtained by @FreeBeacon reveal Raphael Warnock’s church, which pays him a $7417 monthly housing allowance, secretly owns a low-income apartment building that tried to evict residents during the pandemic,” Andrew Kerr of The Washington Free Beacon said. “One for just $28.55 in late rent.”
“Since early 2020, 12 eviction lawsuits have been filed against residents of Columbia Tower at MLK Village, which Warnock’s church owns 99% of. The average rent owed by the residents clocked in at just $125 a month. The building has received over $15 million in taxpayer funding,” he said.
Since early 2020, 12 eviction lawsuits have been filed against residents of Columbia Tower at MLK Village, which Warnock's church owns 99% of.
The average rent owed by the residents clocked in at just $125 a month.
The building has received over $15 million in taxpayer funding.
— Andrew Kerr (@AndrewKerrNC) October 11, 2022
Warnock appeared very caught off guard many times when Walker tore into him during their first and only debate ahead of the midterm elections.
Walker, a former Georgia Bulldogs football player, showed up and delivered a solid performance. In particular, Walker held Warnock’s feet to the fire during an exchange about abortion. Warnock, who is a pastor, advocates for no limits on abortion. Walker is pro-life.
Walker said, “[Warnock] told me black lives matter, and if you think about it, senator, in Atlanta, Georgia, there’s more black babies that is aborted than anything. So if black lives matter, why are you not protecting those babies? And instead of aborting those babies, why are you not baptizing those babies?”
Warnock replied, “I think the women of Georgia have a clear choice.”
“A patient’s room is too narrow and small and cramped a space for a woman, her doctor and the United States government. We are witnessing right now what happens when politicians, most of them men, pile into patient’s rooms,” Warnock said. “The women of Georgia [deserve] a senator who will stand with them. I trust women more than I trust politicians.”
Herschel Walker (R): “If Black Lives Matter, why are you not protecting those babies, and instead of aborting those babies, why are you not baptizing those babies?”
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D): “I think the women of Georgia have a clear choice.” pic.twitter.com/Ry6CaAilRB
— The Recount (@therecount) October 14, 2022
Warnock: "A patient's room is too … cramped a space for a woman, her doctor, and the US government."
Walker: "There's a baby in that room as well." pic.twitter.com/l5NJO9z7G5
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 14, 2022
Then Walker landed one right between the eyes. He said, “He’s a neat talker, but did he not mention that there’s a baby in that room as well?”
