x
Breaking News
More () »

Georgia Senate candidates Warnock, Walker campaign into final week before runoff

The message from both candidates -- vote and encourage your friends to go vote, too.

PEACH COUNTY, Ga. — Going into the final week of campaigning, candidates in Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff are all over the state getting out the vote.

Herschel Walker stopped in Greensboro in Northeast Georgia Tuesday while Senator Raphael Warnock spoke in Fort Valley. 

The message from both candidates Tuesday and throughout the campaign--vote and encourage your friends to go vote, too. 

"Get out and vote. Tell 10 of your friends to get out to vote. If you don't have friends, make friends and tell them to get out and vote," Walker said at a rally in Greene County Tuesday. 

"If you stand with me for the next seven days, I'll stand up for you for the next 6 years. I think that's a pretty good deal. Are you ready to get this thing done?" Warnock said to a room of students. 

Raphael Warnock made his third college visit of the week Tuesday, speaking to a small group of students at Fort Valley State University.

He never mentioned his opponent. Instead, he highlighted issues affecting college age voters like funding for Historically Black Colleges and President Biden's student debt relief.

"$10,000 is not enough. I pushed him, and he decided to do $20,000 for folks who are Pell Grant eligible," Warnock said. 

Meanwhile, Herschel Walker has concentrated on campaigning in north Georgia for much of the runoff, including Tuesday, when he spoke to a crowd in Greene County. 

He talked about energy independence, critical race theory, supporting police, and opposing abortion, but his most consistent theme has been making the incumbent the issue. 

"He's lying to you and telling you this is the new normal. He's lying to you and telling you everything is OK. No, it's not. Crime is the way it is because of him," Walker said. 

Analysis: Why are the Walker, Warnock campaigning in certain parts of the state? 

We've seen Warnock more in Metro Atlanta and parts of Central Georgia while Walker's in North Georgia. Why? 

Some deep red counties in North Georgia voted 80 to 90 percent for Walker this month, so he's there because he needs those supporters to turn out. 

In the Atlanta area, Charles Bullock, University of Georgia political science professor, says Republicans try to run up vote totals in Hall, Cherokee and Forsyth counties. Those counties are population dense and Republican. 

Now, Central and South Georgia have fewer voters so they're not seeing the candidates as often.

As for Warnock, he's been in these blue metro areas like Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton and Gwinnett because of the same idea--it's population dense and heavily Democrat. 

We've also seen Warnock campaigning a lot on college campuses. Bullock says the younger the voter, the more likely they'll vote Democrat. However, those younger voters are also less likely to turn out. Bullock says that's why Warnock is working to mobilize them. 

   

Before You Leave, Check This Out