Raphael Warnock beats Herschel Walker in Georgia, adding to Democrats' Senate lead

[EVENKEEL]

26 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

I’m glad to see sanity prevailed in Georgia. But only just….

 

I mean, how can 49% still vote for someone like Herschel Walker? Absolute madness.

I agree, I didn't follow this except for headlines. Walker seemed a weak candidate, but what does that say about the guy who so narrowly won. Warnock can't be a real prize if Walker almost beat him.

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

IMO you have forgotten places like Russia, China and Iran.

Having said that,the Electoral College has been distorting results for a long time, and is an anachronism. Just like Murdoch has been influencing elections in Australia.

Both Trump and Murdoch got slapped in the face by voters this time around.

I did say western democracy. ????

 

I could go on. The corrupt court bends over backwards to keep the kleptocratic tax dodgers in power. They think corporations are people and allow them to donate huge sums of money anonymously to get their chosen thieves into power. 70% of the population want abortion but they pander to the religious right. It would be hard to design something worse.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

In the initial race Warnock led Walker by about 0.9% with Libertarian Party Leader Oliver getting about 2.1% (about 80,000 votes). Republicans counted on Libertarians to switch to Walker in the runoff, giving Walker the win. 

 

As it was Warnock beat Walker by 1.8% (about 97,000 votes), meaning most likely that majority of Libertarians either voted for Warnock or stayed at home. Oliver did not endorse either Warnock or Walker in the runoff.

 

Libertarian National Committee Chair person said prior to the primary election that in case of a runoff, she would encourage any Libertarians in Georgia to vote Libertarian and "others to vote their conscience."

www.newsweek.com

So it seems Warnock got the Libertarian 'conscience' vote.

Actually, 97000 votes is about 2.8%

[rudi49jr]

3 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I agree, I didn't follow this except for headlines. Walker seemed a weak candidate, but what does that say about the guy who so narrowly won. Warnock can't be a real prize if Walker almost beat him.

I think it says a lot more about Republicans, that they’re willing to vote for any whackjob Republican candidate over an obviously much saner Democrat candidate.

[placeholder]

5 hours ago, ozimoron said:

The official GOP message to Trump was stay the hell out of Georgia, your racist message stinks. Governor Kemp had to tell Georgians to ignore the candidate, hold their nose and vote GOP anyway. But Georgians know that it takes more than slogans and that you can't conflate crime and racism with patriotism.

 

The GOP needs to find a proven squeeky clean presidential candidate with an non racist message if they have any hope of survival.

 

The dems now need to remove the filibuster, stack the supreme court, reverse Citizens United, Dobbs and the impending democracy destroying decision on the Independent Legislature. They need to protect democracy from the fascist uprising. 

Well, the 2 DINO's, Manchin and Sinsema won't allow the filibuster to be done away with. As for the Supreme Court, there's a law in place limiting it to 9 members. The law can be changed, but only with the assent of the House. And I doubt enough Democratic senators would vote for it anyway. So it look like, if the conservatives on the supreme court want to approve of the independent state legislature doctrine, and pretty much destroy democracy on the Federal level, they can go ahead and do it.

[HappyExpat57]

34 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I agree, I didn't follow this except for headlines. Walker seemed a weak candidate, but what does that say about the guy who so narrowly won. Warnock can't be a real prize if Walker almost beat him.

Georgia is a HEAVILY red state but is finally waking up to the atrocity the Republican party has become.

[Lacessit]

54 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I did say western democracy. ????

 

I could go on. The corrupt court bends over backwards to keep the kleptocratic tax dodgers in power. They think corporations are people and allow them to donate huge sums of money anonymously to get their chosen thieves into power. 70% of the population want abortion but they pander to the religious right. It would be hard to design something worse.

Yes you did, my apologies. Senior moment.

I believe <Deleted> is the acronym you may be looking for.

Edited December 7, 2022 by metisdead
Profane acronym removed.

[ozimoron]

Amazing that only now they are starting to speak out. They didn't have the wherewithal to stand up to Trump's disastrous picks at the time. They got what they deserved.

 

Now that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker has gone down to defeat in a Georgia run-off, GOP insiders in the state and some of his campaign staffers are admitting his run was a disaster.

 

“Georgia is a red state when we pick the best candidate rather than the rich one or the celebrity,” GOP campaign advisor Dan McLagan said. “Until we learn that lesson, we will be treated to more train wrecks like this one as our nominee gets vetted in the general election like a slow motion Spanish Inquisition.”

 

https://www.rawstory.com/herschel-walker-train-wreck/

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Amazing that only now they are starting to speak out. They didn't have the wherewithal to stand up to Trump's disastrous picks at the time. They got what they deserved.

 

Now that Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker has gone down to defeat in a Georgia run-off, GOP insiders in the state and some of his campaign staffers are admitting his run was a disaster.

 

“Georgia is a red state when we pick the best candidate rather than the rich one or the celebrity,” GOP campaign advisor Dan McLagan said. “Until we learn that lesson, we will be treated to more train wrecks like this one as our nominee gets vetted in the general election like a slow motion Spanish Inquisition.”

 

https://www.rawstory.com/herschel-walker-train-wreck/

When a candidate is accused of pressuring women in his private life to have abortions, while publicly opposing abortions, most voters ( particularly women ) can connect the dots.

It's like Matthew Guy in Victoria, he never stood a chance of living down the "lobster with a mobster" tag.

[ozimoron]

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

When a candidate is accused of pressuring women in his private life to have abortions, while publicly opposing abortions, most voters ( particularly women ) can connect the dots.

It's like Matthew Guy in Victoria, he never stood a chance of living down the "lobster with a mobster" tag.

Never heard of him.

 

The GOP probably just blew their last chance at gaining power due to changing demographics in previously ruby red states. They could have chosen quality candidates but bowed before Trump's picks. His base instincts are to pick the worst possible candidates, only because he perceived they would be his sycophants rather that governing the country responsibly. Sadly, he was successful in the only arm of government which isn't democratically elected.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

Never heard of him.

 

The GOP probably just blew their last chance at gaining power due to changing demographics in previously ruby red states. They could have chosen quality candidates but bowed before Trump's picks. His base instincts are to pick the worst possible candidates, only because he perceived they would be his sycophants rather that governing the country responsibly. Sadly, he was successful in the only arm of government which isn't democratically elected.

Even that success rebounded on him, SCOTUS overturning Roe vs Wade was a key factor in swinging many women voters to the blue. The red wave never happened.

[Chomper Higgot]

Walker has come under a great deal of criticism, most entirely deserved, some, and I’m referring to his suspected brain injuries, not deserved at all. 
 

I’m a critic of Walker on the basis of his hypocrisy and his politics, I do however respect and thank Walker for the dignity and warmth towards Warnock he displayed in his concession speech.

 

Herschel Walker has fought his campaign, he’s lost and he’s accepted his defeat with grace.

 

He deserves respect for that.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Chomper Higgot

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Walker has come under a great deal of criticism, most entirely deserved, some, and I’m referring to his suspected brain injuries, not deserved at all. 
 

I’m a critic of Walker on the basis of his hypocrisy and his politics, I do however respect and thank Walker for the dignity and warmth towards Warnock the in his concession speech.

 

Herschel Walker has fought his campaign, he’s lost and he’s accepted his defeat with grace.

 

He keeps he deserves respect for that.

Agreed. It's the GOP's fault. We can't blame Walker for jumping at the chance to be elevated to the senate. The GOP miscalculated, thinking that the anti-intellectual Walker would be a shoe in with black voters because he was a famous Georgian sportsman and "He black".

 

The GOP has a nasty habit of picking unqualified and inexperience celebrities as candidates. Oz was another classic own goal. It rarely ends well.

[ozimoron]

Did Herschel Walker just end Trump’s presidential hopes?

 

Stumbling, mumbling, fumbling Herschel Walker finally flopped out of the Georgia Senate race. But while Walker can — and probably will — just exit politics and sink back into semi-obscurity, the man who dragged him into the race and imposed a demonstrably unqualified candidate on Georgia Republicans is now stuck dealing with the damage.

 

Worse, he was the only Republican to lose a statewide race in Georgia — from governor to labor commissioner.

 

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/3764965-did-herschel-walker-just-end-trumps-presidential-hopes/

Edited December 7, 2022 by ozimoron

[Tug]

Obviously the more qualified candidate won what worries me is how tribal we have become it should have been a blow out landslide not a 2 pointer come on folks country over party!

[placeholder]

‘Finally!’: Herschel Walker’s Exes Rejoice at His Defeat

https://www.thedailybeast.com/herschel-walkers-exes-rejoice-at-defeat-by-warnock

[Chomper Higgot]

4 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I agree, I didn't follow this except for headlines. Walker seemed a weak candidate, but what does that say about the guy who so narrowly won. Warnock can't be a real prize if Walker almost beat him.

Walker had Trump’s full backing.

 

Both Walker and Trump were defeated.

 

[alex8912]

Same old 4 or 5 posters. Something has got to change here. 

[rudi49jr]

4 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I agree, I didn't follow this except for headlines. Walker seemed a weak candidate, but what does that say about the guy who so narrowly won. Warnock can't be a real prize if Walker almost beat him.

You sure you want to use that kind of ‘comparison’? In 2016, Trump narrowly won the election. Republicans think HRC is the worst of the worst. So what does that say about your guy Trump that HRC almost beat him? Using your comparison: Trump could not have been a real prize if HRC almost beat him. Well, seems like you got that right at least!

[heybruce]

12 hours ago, placeholder said:

We should keep in mind, though, that the results aren't official until the Republicans claim voter fraud.

 

12 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Walker is perhaps about to do just that ????

Walker has conceded!  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/herschel-walker-concedes-bitter-georgia-runoff-im-not-going-to-make-any-excuses

 

What kind of MAGA Republican is he?  He actually acknowledged reality and did the right thing!  I'm sure he's on Trump's feces-list now.

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, heybruce said:

 

Walker has conceded!  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/herschel-walker-concedes-bitter-georgia-runoff-im-not-going-to-make-any-excuses

 

What kind of MAGA Republican is he?  He actually acknowledged reality and did the right thing!  I'm sure he's on Trump's feces-list now.

Trump doesn't like losers.

[rudi49jr]

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Trump doesn't like losers.

He must hate himself then.

[mikebike]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Herschel Walker has fought his campaign, he’s lost and he’s accepted his defeat with grace.

 

He deserves respect for that.

I see we are setting the bar for "respect" at limbo-level then. We gotta try to raise that again after 45... I have very little "respect" for Walker.

[bendejo]

12 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

I am waiting for furious tweets from the loser in chief and who he will be blaming. Previous the blame was on Melania following Dr Oz lost. Who’s next? 

He'll blame racism.  He'll go on about what a caring human being he himself is and how much pain he is experiencing to see a fine [let's see what words he uses here] treated so unfairly.

 

 

[bendejo]

13 hours ago, placeholder said:

Don't be ungracious. I, for one, feel only gratitude to Trump for his backing of Walker.

I concur.  But this runs deeper than DT's backing.

Quote

"Some Democrats explain their actions by saying they are simply getting a jump on attacking Republican candidates for the general election, while others openly acknowledge trying to secure weaker competition in the fall. But there is little dispute about the effect of altering the Republican primaries in ways that could affect the November matchups."

https://ballotpedia.org/Republican_Party_primaries,_2022

The Dems had their world shaken up in the 1990s, but it looks like they are finally getting their shirt together after nearly 30 years.  If nothing else these midterms can be seen as payback for how the GOP torpedoed the 2004 Dem primaries.  They ran a "gray" gambit and it played out for the most part.  Too bad they didn't get the Ohio Senate seat.

 

I had a history teacher who said JFK surrounded himself with smart, capable people, but Lyndon Johnson (his successor) well knew the advantages of having stupid people working for him.  DT knows this too, but from a somewhat different perspective. 

 

 

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, heybruce said:

 

Walker has conceded!  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/herschel-walker-concedes-bitter-georgia-runoff-im-not-going-to-make-any-excuses

 

What kind of MAGA Republican is he?  He actually acknowledged reality and did the right thing!  I'm sure he's on Trump's feces-list now.

Just losing is enough to get on that list. 

[bendejo]

I've been saying all along that the GOP was shooting itself in the foot with all these voter suppression tactics.  The idea was to make it difficult for Black folks to vote (they fear  another mistake, like Obama) but it didn't take a genius (IMO) to see it would make it difficult for EVERYBODY to vote.  When election day comes around there are a lot of people who are going to find better things to do than drive 40 miles each way and wait on line for hours at the poll; add to that price of gasoline these days and the old pickup trucks getting 15 miles per gallon.  The White senior citizens are put off as well. 

After Losing Georgia, Republicans Are Suddenly Interested in Early Voting

 

It also served as way to urge Black folks to vote, courtesy of activists like Stacey Abrams, by pointing out that they don't want Black folks to vote.

 

 

 

[ozimoron]

3 minutes ago, bendejo said:

I've been saying all along that the GOP was shooting itself in the foot with all these voter suppression tactics.  The idea was to make it difficult for Black folks to vote (they fear  another mistake, like Obama) but it didn't take a genius (IMO) to see it would make it difficult for EVERYBODY to vote.  When election day comes around there are a lot of people who are going to find better things to do than drive 40 miles each way and wait on line for hours at the poll; add to that price of gasoline these days and the old pickup trucks getting 15 miles per gallon.  The White senior citizens are put off as well. 

After Losing Georgia, Republicans Are Suddenly Interested in Early Voting

 

It also served as way to urge Black folks to vote, courtesy of activists like Stacey Abrams, by pointing out that they don't want Black folks to vote.

Talking voter suppression tactics, I think the bigger factor was winning the Saturday vote in the courts. Warnock mentioned this in his victory speech.

 

I think that was before he said "Let's dance" ????

Edited December 7, 2022 by ozimoron

[Elkski]

Sad takeaway for me is out of 3 million voters only 50k could have swung this for Herschel.  And this is the sad mental capacity of 49%

Edited December 7, 2022 by Elkski

[newnative]

Yaa!  Restores a tiny bit of respect for the voters but, as others have said, it should not have been this close.  A big shout out to Trump for making the win possible.  Thanks, Donald, for being the idiot you are.