# Georgia senate runoff elections. Let’s debate and make predictions **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 7, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015 "2020-11-07T23:16:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 33
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/645 "2021-01-08T07:28:12Z")
You’ll have to find it first. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/646 "2021-01-08T15:54:36Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I wonder how long it will take Loeffler to get over saying her phony “Y’all” all the time. Now let’s see how well her and Perdue manage their portfolios without insider information. Who says they won’t have insider information? They’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/647 "2021-01-08T15:59:19Z")
And Loeffler and her husband are worth $800mil. They will be MORE than fine. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/648 "2021-01-08T20:18:15Z")
Perdue just conceded. Any doubt that Ossoff and Warnock will take those seats is removed. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/649 "2021-01-08T20:19:55Z")
So no possibility of the Republicans pulling the old Al Franken maneuver and delaying the Democrat majority in the Senate? ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/650 "2021-01-08T20:32:09Z")
Technically I suppose they could, but Franken’s race was MUCH closer and his opponent never conceded. I just don’t see enough Rs backing such a maneuver. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/651 "2021-01-08T20:34:59Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Perdue just conceded. Yeehah! So do they both get seated the next time the Senate convenes? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/652 "2021-01-08T20:50:30Z")
Democratic\* 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/653 "2021-01-08T20:53:31Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > So do they both get seated the next time the Senate convenes? Barring parliamentary shenanigans, they should. Perdue’s and Loeffler’s concessions are niceties, and hold no legal weight, but I believe that both races wound up with margins above Georgia’s limit for recalls, and after Wednesday’s shitstorm, my hope is that McConnell doesn’t try any further crap. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/654 "2021-01-08T20:53:32Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Any doubt that Ossoff and Warnock will take those seats is removed. This was supposed to be the news on Wednesday. [rhetorical] How does Trump manage to overshadow every good news story? [/rhetorical] ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/655 "2021-01-08T21:09:40Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > This was supposed to be the news on Wednesday. [rhetorical] How does Trump manage to overshadow every good news story? [/rhetorical] I think we can thank the insurrection for this happening so quickly. Georgia was one of the contested states before Loeffler changed her mind in the Senate. Had the insurrection stayed outside, they would have made a 2-hour case in the Senate and likely tried to keep the “Georgia’s elections are corrupt” narrative going with some specious (but potentially delaying) lawsuits of their own. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/656 "2021-01-08T21:51:09Z")
Yep. One of my friends was shocked and thought Perdue (and esp Loeffler) would have contested this election for weeks - lawsuits, etc. But the insurrection took the wind out of both of their sails. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2021, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/657 "2021-01-08T22:01:55Z")
Ossoff won the race knocking on the door of 45000 votes. Warnock won the race knocking on the door of 83000 votes. Some areas had 85-90 % of eligible voters voted. Very impressive. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/658 "2021-01-09T06:26:59Z")
Ossoff and Warnock can’t be sworn in until Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger certifies the results of the runoff. Googling Thursday and Friday morning, I couldn’t find anything that indicated when he might do that. (I haven’t checked again since then.) Before the infamous call and the events of Wednesday, he might have faced serious pressure from many Republicans to slow-walk the process, but now I suspect he’ll act sooner rather than later. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/659 "2021-01-09T14:55:26Z")
Googling this morning I came up with this: [https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/politics/raffensperger-georgia-senate-election-confirmation/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/08/politics/raffensperger-georgia-senate-election-confirmation/index.html) > Georgia’s top elections official will certify the results of runoffs that will tip the power balance of the Senate to Democrats as soon as possible, he told CNN, but he would not commit to completing the task before Joe Biden is inaugurated as President on January 20. > > “We will get that done as soon as we can,” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Thursday, noting he intends to wrap up by Inauguration Day. He cannot certify the results until counties do so, and only a few had done so by Friday. – so if the Senate does get called back in for impeachment before the 20th, it may not have the Georgia senators. I don’t know what happens with Loeffler. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/660 "2021-01-09T14:57:30Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I don’t know what happens with Loeffler. From what I’ve read elsewhere, she continues to serve until the vote on her replacement is certified. The Perdue seat will stand empty until Warnock is certified. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/661 "2021-01-09T16:29:10Z")
Thanks, @thorny_locust, for looking that up. I wouldn’t be shocked, shocked to discover that Raffensperger is dawdling to impede a possible impeachment conviction in the Senate, but (gritting my teeth) to be fair, getting the certified results from Georgia’s 159 counties may really take some time. Among US states, only Texas has more counties (254) than Georgia. Of course, election officials in some of Georgia’s deep red counties might not exactly be rushing to complete their certifications. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/662 "2021-01-09T16:36:24Z")
I doubt this is an attempt to slow walk the certifications in light of a possible impeachment. The Senate is in recess until the 19th, so there’s almost no possibility that a trial could be begun much less concluded before Trump leaves office. And even if the Senate moves forward with the trial when he’s gone, the two GA Senators are unlikely to be the deciding votes since you need 2/3 to convict. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/663 "2021-01-09T16:38:42Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > The Perdue seat will stand empty until Warnock is certified. Ossoff. Warnock will be getting Loeffler’s seat. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015/664 "2021-01-09T16:40:07Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > election officials in some of Georgia’s deep red counties might not exactly be rushing to complete their certifications. I suspect it may be more likely to be that than to be Raffensperger; who not only stood up against considerable pressure from Trump to insist that Trump’s loss was accurate, but taped and released (if belatedly) that phone call. I think their deadline for military ballots may only have been yesterday, though; so they can’t reasonably have been expected to certify before last night, and they’ve probably got some reasonable excuse for not certifying until after the weekend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015.md?page=32) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/georgia-senate-runoff-elections-let-s-debate-and-make-predictions/925015.md?page=34)