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TRUMP IN GEORGIA: ‘GET OUT AND VOTE‘ In the days leading up to President Trump’s rally in Valdosta, Georgia, there was a lot of speculation about what might happen. Would Trump spend all his time complaining about the presidential vote count, in Georgia and some other states? Or would he stick to the purpose of the event, to promote the candidacies of Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in the January 5 Georgia runoffs that will determine control of the Senate?
To look at the headlines, Trump made it all about himself. “At Georgia rally, Trump spouts election falsehoods, amplifies old grievances,” was the headline in the Washington Post. The New York Times went with “At Rally for Georgia Senators, Trump Focuses on His Own Grievances.”
But there was much more to the story. In fact, Trump delivered for Perdue and Loeffler. Yes, he talked a lot about the presidential election. But he also talked a lot about the Senate races, stressed the importance of the races, and pushed repeatedly for Georgians to vote in the runoffs. He even took took a not-so-veiled shot at his own allies who have been urging Georgia Republicans to boycott the race.
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The message first came from First Lady Melania Trump, who introduced her husband. “We must keep our seats in the Senate,” the said. “It is more important than ever that you exercise your rights as an American citizen and vote….Get out and vote for Senator Loeffler and Senator Perdue.” The First Lady did not comment on the presidential election or claim that it had been stolen or was plagued by massive fraud.
For his part, the president started focusing on the Senate race early in his speech. “There’s never been a case where a state has had this prominence in Senate races because they’re never together,” he said, pointing to Georgia’s odd circumstances of having two Senate contests on a runoff ballot at the same time. “This is something that’s very important and you have to get out and you have to vote…David and Kelly are running against radical Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock…You must go vote and vote early starting December 14th. You have to do it.”
Behind the president the campaign had placed a giant sign: REQUEST YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT RIGHT NOW! “If you aren’t planning to vote by mail, vote early in-person or vote on Election Day,” Trump said. “Whatever you do, I need each of you, every one of you, your friends, your family, to go and vote.”
Of course Trump talked about his contention that there was massive voter fraud in the presidential election. But he kept coming back to the Senate race. “The answer to the Democrat fraud is not to stay home,” he said. “That’s what Nancy Pelosi and Schumer, that’s what they want you to do, stay at home, just stay at home. If you want to do something to them — I don’t want to use the word ‘revenge,’ but it is a certain revenge to the Democrats — you show up and vote in record numbers. That’s what you have to do.”
Trump also disagreed with two of his supporters, attorneys Lin Wood and Sidney Powell, who held a rally of their own in Georgia last week. Powell said “there should not be a runoff” if Georgia continues to use voting machines made by Dominion, which of course it will do on January 5. Wood urged supporters not to vote — “We’re not going to vote on your damn machines made in China,” he told the crowd. Democrats were thrilled by Powell’s and Wood’s performance, and hoped to see more.
Without using names, Trump demolished that argument. “If you don’t get out and vote, they’re going to win,” he said. “Now, you know, a lot of people, friends of mine, say let’s not vote. We’re not going to vote because we’re angry about the presidential election — and they’re friends of mine. They are people that are great people. They are real friends. And more than just two — there are numerous people, and it’s almost like a protest. But if you do that, the radical left wins…We can’t do that. We have to actually do just the opposite. We can’t do that. We can’t do that. We have to do just the opposite. If you don’t vote, the socialists and the communists win. They win.”
Could anything be clearer? Trump’s message was the same throughout his speech: Support Republicans in the Senate races. Vote for Perdue and Loeffler. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you not to vote.
Republicans working to keep the Senate seats were delighted. They had heard all the chatter that Trump wasn’t interested in helping the GOP win. They had read the stories. But the Trump they saw on stage was fully on board for the campaign. “The president was unequivocal in his support of Loeffler and Perdue,” said a Republican strategist familiar with the race. “He told his supporters that if you are angry…the best way to take out your anger is to show up in huge numbers and vote for Loeffler and Perdue. It was important to hear that from him directly.”
There’s no doubt some GOP voters in Georgia are discouraged. They needed to hear from the president. “Some of our voters think the results are unfair and that there was fraud and abuse,” said another Republican strategist. “[Trump] is very credible to say that there has been fraud and abuse, but we need you to vote one more time. He’s the only messenger for that message.”
Both races are close. No one would be surprised if Trump returns to Georgia in the next few weeks for more campaigning. And there is now no argument about whether Trump supports Loeffler and Perdue. “We have to hold the line,” he said. “Make sure that you and everyone else know that you have to register to vote before this Monday, December 7th…You have to register to vote….Go to georgia.gov and register immediately, then request your absentee ballot before December 31st. Don’t delay. Watch it closely. Do it today. Do it tomorrow and return your ballot the same day you got it.”
Does that sound like a president who is not committed to the Georgia race? Sure, Trump remains absorbed with the presidential results. But he knows Republican control of the Senate is critical to protecting some of his accomplishments that Democrats want to overturn. And so the Georgia rally was, at heart, about the Georgia Senate races. “We have to show the radical left that we will never surrender, we will only win,” Trump concluded. “Get out and vote. Get out and vote.”
