Runoff set for GA Sec State Dec 4th! This is what will really turn GA BLUE!

[Cattledog]

Even if the race for governor isn’t forced into a runoff, voting rights is set to dominate political debate through Dec. 4 with the runoff for Brian Kemp’s old job.
The race pits Democrat John Barrow and Republican Brad Raffensperger, two candidates not necessarily beloved by their party’s bases, in a contest to turn out core supporters possibly without the luxury of a bigger-ticket contest.

That’s the framework of the race if there’s no matchup between Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams on the ballot. And it comes against the backdrop of the same debate over ballot access and voter suppression that swirled for the last year.

Barrow has talked more of using the office as a bully pulpit to rail against gerrymandering and to quickly move the state to un-hackable paper ballots. Raffensperger has vowed to continue many of Kemp’s policies, including canceling registrations of voters who hadn’t participated in recent elections.

The too-close-to-call governor race has sucked up any attention that would otherwise go to this down-ticket contest, but that could soon change as counties prepare to certify votes this week.

Can a Democratic candidate so centrist he voted against Nancy Pelosi and ran a folksy ad assuring voters he’s a “Democrat, but I won’t bite ya” energize the same liberal voters that came out in force for Abrams? And will the Republicans who crossed over and voted for Barrow in November return in December?

Can a low-profile Republican with little name recognition mobilize the same core conservative supporters who carried Kemp to what could be a narrow gubernatorial victory? And will Kemp and other GOP officials play a prominent role in boosting his campaign?
Will persistent questions of whether Kemp abused his role as the state’s top elections official catalyze voters to choose his successor? Or do election-weary Georgians tune out the race, leaving only a handful of voters to decide the race?

Will Democrats peeved at Abrams’ near-miss - if she can’t force the runoff - rush back to the polls to try to give the party a foothold in state government? Will they be countered by Republicans embarrassed by the party’s suburban struggles?

https://politics.myajc.com/blog/politics/high-stakes-december-runoff-even-without-abrams-kemp-matchup/HXYKXiJNWog23Pz1QVmQnO/

[greymattermom]

1. I hope early voting is available.

I'm going to be out of town that day, so I hope early voting starts right after Thanksgiving. Kemp isn't very popular, just like Karen Handel. This could be IT.

[Cattledog]

3. Vote absentee if you are going out of town!

[gademocrat7]

2. We need to GOTV for John Barrow.

For far too long voter suppression has thrived in Georgia. This must end.

[brer cat]

4. We need this office in Democratic hands

if we are ever going to end the highly partisan and racist abuses of Kemp.

And will Kemp and other GOP officials play a prominent role in boosting his campaign?

I think that is a given. Even if Abrams can't get to a runoff, she came too close for republicans to relax for even a minute. They need the voter suppression efforts to stay in power, and they will resort to racism again to motivate their base to gotv for Raffensperger.

[philf99]

5. SOS races are extremely important

May be even more important than winning the governors mansions if the goal is flipping Georgia to Blue