Donald Trump Jr. campaigns in Ringgold for Sen. Perdue, GOP
Donald Trump Jr. was in Catoosa County on Saturday afternoon campaigning for Sen. David Perdue as early voting is underway in Georgia for two U.S. Senate seats up for grabs in the January runoff.
Trump Jr., along with Trump campaign aide Kimberly Guilfoyle, were on hand to urge the people of Northwest Georgia to show up and vote for Perdue and Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Republican incumbents who both face Democratic challengers.
Trump Jr. was brash and passionate about the need to hold the line in Georgia in order to stop what he called the Democrats’ “socialist agenda.”
He touched on many Republican campaign themes such as the Second Amendment, immigration, the alleged infusion of communism in Democratic circles and the fear that life as Americans know it would disappear if the two Democrats win, handing their party control of the Senate.
As chants of “Four more years,” started by the crowd of hundreds, Trump Jr. was hesitant to talk about another four years with his father at the helm, but instead shifted focus to the Senate races.
“Even with the president in place, what can we do without the Senate?” he asked, reiterating the importance of voting for Loeffler and Perdue early or on Election Day on Jan. 5.
Loeffler and Perdue face Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the runoff election. If both Democrats were to win, the Democrats would control both houses of Congress when Democratic President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20.
Rapper Common appeared on their behalf in Savannah on Saturday.
“Georgia, y’all showed up during the presidential election,” Common said during his performance. “It’s time to finish the job, though.”
The two Republicans have had to campaign even as Trump continues to sow doubts about the democratic process and the presidential election that took place over a month ago — especially in Georgia, where he has been critical of two Republicans, Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who have accepted the election outcome.
Trump’s most avid supporters have been particularly critical of Loeffler and Perdue, saying they are not doing enough to bring about his victory in Georgia — and therefore do not deserve the support of Trump loyalists.
Trump Jr. touched on the Republican infighting that cropped up in November after pro-Trump attorneys told voters at a rally earlier this month not to vote in the runoff.
Echoing the president’s concerns about the recent presidential election, attorney Lin Wood said at that rally that the results of the Jan. 5 Senate runoff have already been decided and the upcoming election is already rigged.
“Do not be fooled twice,” Wood said, wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat. “This is Georgia. We ain’t dumb. We’re not going to vote on Jan. 5 on another machine made by China. You’re not going to fool Georgians again.”
Trump Jr. said Saturday to ignore those calls and said that is exactly what Democrats and the media wants. He also said his father’s way of leading the Republican Party “brought some balls back” to the party.
“I did a quick scan for any children and didn’t see any,” Trump Jr. said after
his off-color remark.
(There were dozens of young kids in the crowd.)
Whether it was from Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, Catoosa County Commission Chair Steven Henry, Perdue or even Trump Jr., the clear message from every speaker was that the Democratic candidates have a real shot to pick up both seats, and getting the Republican vote out was the most important thing Georgians could do.
Georgia Public Broadcasting reported Saturday morning that 1,336,136 Georgians had already
voted early, either by mail or in person, and turnout is already approaching November-level numbers.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, of the 76,000 new voters added to Georgia’s rolls since November, more than half are non-white and more than half are under 35 years old.
The New York Times reported this weekend that President Donald Trump had been tentatively planning to visit Georgia the same day his son did to support Perdue and Loeffler but “is still angry at the state’s Republican governor and secretary of state for accepting the election result, and simply doesn’t want to make the trip.”
The paper also reported the president could visit after Christmas.