Political Rewind: Sen. Raphael Warnock wins reelection. Will his victory elevate Georgia in 2024?

Caption

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock gives a victory speech after defeating Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Dec. 6, 2022 runoff election.

Credit: Tristan Smith / GPB News

The panel

Alan Abramowitz, @AlanIAbramowitz, professor emeritus of political science, Emory University

Greg Bluestein, @bluestein, political reporter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rick Dent, political ad expert and vice president, Matrix Communications

Tammy Greer, political science professor, Clark Atlanta University

The breakdown

1. Sen. Raphael Warnock was reelected to a full term in the U.S. Senate.

• Warnock is Georgia's first Black candidate to win a full term in the Senate.
• According to the secretary of state's office, Warnock won 51.28% of 3.5 million votes, putting him over Walker by about two and a half points.
• Warnock improved performance in more than 100 hundred counties, widening margins in cities and narrowing them in rural counties. He also flipped five counties in his favor.

2. Will Herschel Walker's loss be the straw that broke Donald Trump's back?

• The former president strongly endorsed Walker. The loss could indicate shrinking support for his future presidential ticket.
• Yesterday was otherwise a tough news day for Trump. The January 6th Committee indicated they'd be handing down criminal referrals. His company, The Trump Organization, was also found guilty in a tax fraud case.

3. The election results come as the Democratic National Committee discusses moving Georgia's primary up in its schedule.

• Democrats have polled Iowa first for over 50 years.
  • The change would instead favor South Carolina, which Joe Biden won in the 2020 primaries.
• The Washington Post reports the schedule would go as follows: 
  • South Carolina would lead off the 2024 primaries on Feb. 6;
  • Then New Hampshire and Nevada hold their contests the next week, on Feb. 13;
  • Followed by Georgia on Feb. 20 and then Michigan on Feb. 27.
• The DNC has also eyed Atlanta as a home for its 2024 convention.

Tune in for a special edition of Political Rewind at 2 p.m. You can listen at www.gpb.org or on our Facebook page.