Jon Ossoff, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Georgia, appeared in public Friday for the first time since Election Day to lay the groundwork for his likely runoff against Republican Sen. David Perdue.
Ossoff spoke to a small group of supporters and the media under a tree in Atlanta’s Grant Park neighborhood.
There he criticized Perdue for canceling a second debate in the days before the election and he reminded people of Perdue’s close ties to President Trump.
Perdue opted to attend a Trump rally in Rome rather than debate Ossoff on WSBTV as had been planned.
Ossoff also took to the opportunity to briefly, and broadly, lay out his policy goals.
“We believe that every single Georgia family should have access to affordable housing, affordable healthcare, education without debt, dignified work that pays a living wage, equal justice before the law regardless of race and regardless of class....it’s not that complicated,” he said.
Ossoff also said he hoped to be a part of healing the deeply partisan division in the country.
“This isn't about party labels,” Ossoff said." This is about human lives, human decency, human rights, the human consequences of elections."
Whether the runoff will happen or not will be decided after all the ballots are counted. As of midday Friday, Perdue's share of the vote total had slipped below the greater-than-50% needed to win the race outright. The runoff date is Jan. 5.
