Who could have possibly known that President Trump’s wild claims about the 2020 election being stolen from him might kneecap Republican efforts to hold on to the Senate?
Well, pretty much anyone who cared about Republican efforts to hold on to the Senate.
Back in early November, when Trump initiated his ill-fated effort to challenge the results of the election, I wrote that all the complaining and lawsuits better be worth it. That question has now been answered, and it’s a really loud no.
Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler just lost her race for reelection in Georgia to Democrat Raphael Warnock, and as of this writing on Wednesday morning, it looks like the other Republican, David Perdue, is set to lose to Democrat Jon Ossoff. That outcome will put the Senate in control of incoming President Joe Biden, incoming Vice President Kamala Harris, and under great influence from the fire-breathing left-wingers in the House.
Turnout among both Republican and Democratic voters was high, but Democrats weren’t running to the polls because their candidates lit a flame in their souls. It’s because they felt threatened by Trump and some of his allies in Congress who have vowed to never concede the 2020 race to Biden. Feeling invalidated after a time has a way of motivating people. Ask Trump’s supporters.
The bulk of the blame, though, most certainly rests with Loeffler herself. She wasn’t a good candidate. She was never elected in the first place. She had been appointed to fill a vacant seat. When she finally had to campaign, she was every bit as animated and lifelike as the Statue of Liberty. She didn’t seem to believe what she said, and that’s when she actually even knew what to say.
What’s next? Trump will wind down his days tweeting about how he was “robbed,” some Republicans will continue indulging him, and Democrats will load the cannon with bill after bill and blow a hole right through the middle class.
That’s the price we’re going to pay for Republicans losing the Senate. And yes, Trump helped make that happen.
