© Provided by Washington Examiner Republicans are facing the very real possibility that Democrats could take narrow control of the Senate with victories in the Georgia runoff elections for the Senate. You wouldn't be able to tell that from the way President Trump and other Republicans are acting.
Republicans have thus far escaped a brutal Senate map to put themselves in a position to hold the chamber, but intraparty sniping over the election results in Georgia has apparently taken priority for some Republicans, including the president.
The most popular target is Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican. Raffensperger has been targeted by Trump and his team, Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, and Loeffler's former primary opponent Doug Collins. Loeffler and Perdue, who are both in danger of losing their seats, called on Raffensperger to resign. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is also being targeted by Trump himself.
Meanwhile, Collins prevented Loeffler from having the opportunity to clinch her Senate seat on Election Day by splitting the conservative vote. She is now in a runoff with Raphael Warnock. David Perdue fell short of clinching his seat, leading to a runoff against Jon Ossoff. Warnock and Ossoff are who the Republican Party should be focused on, but too much of the party is busy chasing the idea that the bold claims of Trump's legal team could come true while they aren't even pursuing them in court.
As Democrats are frantically organizing in Georgia to try and put Chuck Schumer in charge of the Senate, Republicans are telling their voters that Georgia's elections are rigged and that it doesn't even matter if they show up to vote for Loeffler and Perdue. It's a recipe for disaster in what is very much a toss-up scenario - done in the service of a fleeting fantasy.
Georgia has finished its hand recount and will be reporting the results soon. The chances that the recount makes up a gap of roughly 14,000 votes are slim to none. The chances that tens of thousands of votes can be flipped in at least two other seats are almost nonexistent. But the chances that Republican infighting and their refusal to focus on the race at hand could cost them control of the Senate is rising by the day.
Trump shoulders a lot of the blame for Republicans losing the House of Representatives in 2018, and his refusal to stay on message could end up costing the GOP the Senate as well. Republicans can't rely on organizing and fundraising to get voters out while simultaneously telling their voters that Georgia elections are rigged, especially in pursuit of an outcome that is never going to materialize.
Tags: Beltway Confidential, Georgia, 2020 Elections, Kelly Loeffler, Donald Trump, David Perdue, Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff, Campaigns, Campaign 2020
Original Author: Zachary Faria
Original Location: Trump and Republicans seem determined to give away the Georgia Senate races