Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) finds himself yet again facing a runoff election, just as he did for the 2020 election. This time, he's facing Republican opponent Herschel Walker, with their margin of votes being separated by less than 1 point. With such a narrow lead, Warnock could likely use all the help he can get, and so it's thus rather curious that Vice President Kamala Harris has been dodging as to whether or not she'll campaign for the vulnerable incumbent.
Harris is presently in Asia. As Fox News reported on Tuesday morning, she was asked a question by a reporter about whether she'll campaign for Warnock. "I haven't made any decision yet," Harris claimed. "I'm basically still trying to figure out what I'm doing tomorrow." With the runoff being on December 6, it's now just two weeks from this Tuesday.
The vice president is seen as particularly unfavorable, even more so than President Joe Biden. That she might be a liability on the campaign trail was raised over a year ago, in July of last year.
While Democrats do have former President Barack Obama helping out on December 1, just as he did for other Democratic candidates, Biden has not yet been to Georgia, according to the Fox News report.
Walker has help from Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and NRSC Chairman Rick Scott (R-FL). Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), who will be the next NRSC chairman, told Townhall last week that a priority for Republicans presently is getting Walker elected.
He's also taken in millions of dollars in fundraising, as Sarah highlighted in the days following the November 8 election where Warnock failed to get the necessary 50 percent to win outright.
What may also benefit Walker is that Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) was just reelected earlier this month, defeating Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams in a rematch of 2018, by almost 8 points. Kemp campaigned for Walker on Saturday, as Fox News also reported.
A poll commissioned by the AARP found that Warnock has a lead of 51 percent to Walker's 47 percent. The poll also found that "Walker is ahead 9-points among voters 50+, who make up 62% of likely runoff voters." A release for the poll highlighted this finding, with the headline of "New AARP Georgia Poll: Voters 50+ May Tip Scales in Runoff Election."
#GASEN runoff poll, commissioned by the AARP:
— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) November 22, 2022
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) 51
Herschel Walker (R) 47 https://t.co/ttMJqidVgf
Getting Walker elected is critical for Republicans if they wish to prevent Democrats from growing their majority. While Democrats control the Senate regardless, Warnock winning reelection would mean that Democrats expand their control of 50 seats in addition to Harris' tiebreaking vote.
The runoff is earlier this election cycle. The runoff election from 2020 took place several months later, on January 5, 2021.