When the clock strikes midnight tonight, not only will Clara go on dubious adventures with the Nutcracker and the Sugar Plum Fairy, but more importantly, Georgia election officials finish their hand re-tallying of state-presidential ballots.
Concerningly enough, the theatrical similarities between my favorite ballet and my favorite contested election strike the core of the unfolding drama that is 2020. And no, Rudy, you can’t be Mouse King; your arabesques are sloppy.
President Donald Trump refuses to concede victory in Georgia as the hand recount shows hopeful Joe Biden with a comfortable 14,000 vote lead. Likely, the refusal postures Georgia Republican voters to question DNC integrity and solidify the senate run-off races scheduled for January 5th.
The Georgia senatorial candidates remain locked in a competitive race. Republican candidates Kelly Loeffler and John Perdue face tough opposition from Democratic opponents Raphael Warnock and John Ossoff.
Democratic control of the Senate hinges on victories in both races. Currently, Republicans hold 50 Senate seats while Democrats managed to flip one seat for 48 Senate seats. Democrats need to pull off an unlikely victory in both run-offs for a 50-50 split, in which case Vice President-elect Kamala Harris acts as the tie-breaking vote, giving Democrats control of Congress, the Senate, and the White House.
Georgia has not elected a Democratic senator since 1996, and Joe Biden was the first Democratic President Georgians voted for since 1992. So far, here are the Vegas election odds the sportsbooks dropped for the two Georgia run-off Senate races.
U.S. Senate Election Winner – Georgia (Special Election)
Kelly Loeffler (R) -245
Raphael Warnock (D) +180
U.S. Senate Runoff Election Winner – Georgia (General Election)
David Perdue (R) -280
Jon Ossoff (D) +205
Recently Senator Lindsey Graham alleged fraudulent voting activities on behalf of Georgia election officials. While the Republicans have not provided substantial evidence of voter fraud, Trump allies such as Graham and Donald Trump Jr. have supported the theory in hopes of retaining Senate and Presidential power.
Meanwhile, Coronavirus cases spike across the United States and the globe. Recently senior Republican officials tested positive for the virus, questioning the right’s attitude toward the pandemic and how the Biden administration plans to tackle spikes in cases and possible Congressional lockdowns.
Some see hope in the emergence of new vaccines that reportedly work with 95% accuracy. Pfizer and BioNTech are producing vaccines that passed through clinical trials and are effective across all demographics. The companies plan to submit their mRNA-style vaccines to the FDA for approval within days.