Name: Georgia Democrats Are Gearing Up for a Senatorial Bloodbath
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Georgia Democrats Are Gearing Up for a Senatorial Bloodbath

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With all eyes trained on Georgia, where the fate of the U.S. Senate—and, by extension, Joe Biden’s presidency—will be decided on January 5, organizers on the ground are taking nothing for granted. Georgia Democrats will reportedly go door-to-door to speak to voters in person, a reversal after the Democratic Party halted in-person canvassing earlier this year due to COVID-19. According to , the initiative is a coordinated effort between the campaigns of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock and follows “strict health guidelines created in consultation with an epidemiologist.” Some of the protocols reportedly include wearing a mask at all times, stepping six feet back from doors before anyone answers, and using hand sanitizer after coming into contact with surfaces. Volunteers are also expected to “affirm that they are free of any symptoms and have not been in contact with anyone suspected or confirmed of being positive for COVID-19 before their shifts.”&nbsp;The decision speaks to the stratospheric stakes in the runoff races between Ossoff and Warnock, and incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. (Loeffler is currently quarantining due to inconclusive test results after possible exposure to COVID-19.) As Democrats go on the offensive, Republicans, too, are moving quickly. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has reportedly more than a dozen staff members to assist Perdue and Loeffler’s campaigns, and Senator Lindsey Graham’s campaign donated $1 million to the NRSC intended to boost both Georgia Republicans. In short, both sides are setting up for a bloodbath. &nbsp;On Democrats’ side, the calculation is that turnout will be crucial to eking out another pair of wins in the state. Several progressive organizations, including the Working Families Party and the New Georgia Project, have also brought back door-to-door canvassing after scaling back. “No one knows the risk more than we do,” New Georgia Project CEO Nse Ufot told Politico, referencing the disproportionate number of Black and brown people impacted by the virus, and whose votes have also been those most by the current administration. “We also understand how important it is to make sure that voters show up in this moment.” Britney Whaley, a senior political strategist at the Working Families Party, told Politico that the group’s goal was to knock on 750,000 doors.At the center of the conversation, among others, is Stacey Abrams, the former minority leader in Georgia's House of Representatives, who has been widely as one of the reasons the state turned blue. (Biden is the first Democratic candidate to win Georgia since 1992.) And Abrams said she remains optimistic that the Senate races will swing the same way. “This is a coalition that we’ve been building together for the last decade through groups like Asian-American advocacy funds, Black Lives Matter, Coalition for People’s Agenda, Mi Gente, Southerners on New Ground,” she The New York Times. “This is a group that didn’t just come together out of convenience. We’ve been working together in coalition, and that’s why I think we can sustain it.” Abrams also highlighted how gerrymandering and voter suppression have led to the disenfranchisement of Black and brown voters—a reality that the Trump administration has aggressively tried to in recent weeks.As with the presidential race, the focus in Georgia seems liable to shift to election officials, whose efforts to ensure a free and fair election have incensed . On Monday, Georgia’s state election board, chaired by Republican Secretary of State&nbsp;Brad Raffensperger, to extend the use of secure ballot drop boxes for both Senate races. Raffensperger in particular has come &nbsp;from members of his own party for making it harder for Trump to steal the election. In the final gasp of the Trump presidency, he may face another wave of vitriol from the “.”More Great Stories From Vanity Fair&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;— Ivanka and Jared’s Is an Island Alone— Inside Don Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle’s Supposed — Why Mike Carries Real Risks— Ivanka Trump Was My Best Friend. Now She’s — As Trump Clings to Power, His Allies — , Completely Bonkers, Most Excellent Year— After Biden’s Victory, Can the Media Tune Out ?— From the Archive: Donald Trump Was the in History— Not a subscriber? to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now.Most PopularThe freshest-and most essential-updates from Washington, Wall Street, and Silicon Valley.

With all eyes trained on Georgia, where the fate of the U.S. Senate—and, by extension, Joe Biden’s presidency—will be decided on January 5, organizers on the ground are taking nothing for granted. Georgia Democrats will reportedly go door-to-door to speak to voters in person, a reversal after the Democratic Party halted in-person canvassing earlier this year due to COVID-19. According to , the initiative is a coordinated effort between the campaigns of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock and follows “strict health guidelines created in consultation with an epidemiologist.” Some of the...

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Vanity Fair is a monthly magazine of popular culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast in the United States.  The first version of Vanity Fair was published from 1913 to 1936. The imprint was revived in 1983 and currently includes five international editions of the magazine. As of 2018, the Editor-in-Chief is Radhika Jones.

Georgia Democrats Are Gearing Up for a Senatorial Bloodbath

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