Yesterday, media reports suggested Rep. Doug Collins, President Trump’s choice to fill the seat of ex-GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson, will challenge GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Georgia Gov. Kemp’s actual selection:
Breaking: Rep. Doug Collins is expected to run for US Senate in Georgia. #gapol #gasen https://t.co/NeMWHYbYes
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) January 28, 2020
A Collins-Loeffler competition in the special election, however, could flip the seat to Dems:
Some GOP pushback to Collins. A senior Senate campaign official warns that “a fractured primary” risks both Senate seats and electoral votes. “Collins' vendetta against Kemp could be the straw that breaks the camel's back and finally flips Georgia blue." https://t.co/XqXu0w9yTb
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 28, 2020
Here’s why: Basically the special election is a jungle primary and the top two vote-getters go to a runoff:
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For reporters covering the Georgia situation: the current law in Georgia requires a jungle primary for the special election to replace Johnny Isakson — all the candidates, R & D, are on the ballot and the top two have a runoff.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) January 28, 2020
There’s a bipartisan push in the state to change the rules before the election:
Democrat would prefer to rally around one candidate and have worked with the GOP Speaker of the House to change the rules to create a primary system for the special election. The Speaker is a fan of Doug Collins and not of the Governor and thinks this could help Collins.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) January 28, 2020
But Gov. Kemp, an obvious Loeffler fan, has the power to keep that from happening:
Democrats and the Speaker have gotten the votes to change the rules, but the Governor is promising to veto it. There won't be enough votes to override the Governor's veto. The Governor believes the rules should not be changed in the middle of the process.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) January 28, 2020
Now, this does have us asking questions regarding just how real the fight between Sen. Leffler and Sen. Romney over witnesses really is:
After 2 weeks, it’s clear that Democrats have no case for impeachment. Sadly, my colleague @SenatorRomney wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame. The circus is over. It’s time to move on! #gapol
— Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) January 27, 2020
To be continued. . .
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