A year ago this evening was the Senate election runoff which saw Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeat incumbent Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to give Democrats control of the Senate. I was among those who cast a vote for Ossoff and Warnock despite my reservations about the latter's past statements about Israel.
That race dominated the headlines during the first two months I was in Atlanta and much of the political world. The euphoria of their victory was very short-lived as the Capitol Riots took place only hours later. Given how Joe Manchin has derailed Build Back Better it is easy to forget what a difference the election of Ossoff and Warnock together has made.
If neither had prevailed or only one of them had been elected, Congress would not have passed additional $1.9 trillion in COVID relief (including $1,400 stimulus checks and vaccine funding) or the long needed $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill. 2021 was a slightly less awful year in no small part due to Ossoff and Warnock's presence in the Senate. Hopefully some variation of Build Back Better will be passed before mid-term elections in November.
Since Warnock was filling the term of the late Johnny Isaakson (whom was initially succeeded by Loeffler) he is up for re-election this fall most likely against former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker. Despite Walker not having lived in Georgia for 30 years, Warnock faces a tough challenge in a year that doesn't look favorable to Democrats. There is also Georgia's voter suppression law which has targeted Democratic strongholds like Fulton County. Still, Warnock will be a formidable campaigner despite less than favorable conditions.
2021 was a slightly less awful year in no small part due to Ossoff and Warnock's presence in the Senate. Let's hope both men are still there in a year from now while retaining if not enhancing the Senate's Democratic majority.
No comments:
Post a Comment