Georgia Senate Runoffs: Democrats Feel Optimistic, But Challengers Face Uphill Battle

A record-breaking 2.5 million people have already voted in the Georgia Senate runoff elections, with President-elect Biden and President Trump set to campaign in the state next week. To win the Senate for Democrats, they need to take both seats, currently held by Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. CBS News political contributor Joel Payne joins the conversation, sharing insights from the ground about the Democrats' chances.

Key Takeaways:

• Democrats feel optimistic about their chances in the runoff elections, but are also realistic about the challenges ahead.
• The early vote numbers are encouraging for Democrats, with a record 2.5 million people having already voted.
• Turnout will be crucial, with the ground game over the next 96 hours being critical to mobilizing voters.
• President-elect Biden and Kamala Harris will campaign in Georgia, and Stacey Abrams, credited with helping Joe Biden win the state in the general election, will continue her efforts to mobilize voters.
• Abrams' "service-oriented" approach, which focuses on registering voters by addressing their needs and connecting them to social services, has been effective in the state.
• President Trump's attacks on Georgian election officials and his claims of election rigging may affect his supporters' enthusiasm for voting.
• The fact that Perdue and Loeffler support the $2,000 stimulus check may not necessarily boost their chances.
• The election could be close, with the outcome possibly taking longer than election night to determine.

Statistics:

• 2.5 million people have already voted in the Georgia Senate runoff elections, a record number for a Georgia runoff election.
• The turnout is expected to be crucial, with the ground game over the next 96 hours being critical to mobilizing voters.
• President Trump's attacks on Georgian election officials have been made, and his previous claims of election rigging have not been substantiated.

Sources:

• CBS News
• Joel Payne, CBS News Political Contributor and Democratic Strategist