Georgia’s early voting hadn’t even begun when the Democrats began to complain about “voter suppression.” In the debate between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Herschel Walker, Warnock complained about Georgia’s voter integrity law that passed last year — even though it has already proven that nobody, including minorities, has had trouble voting.
“There is no question that SB 202 makes voting harder — and that is the intent,” Warnock declared. “And the fact that many of our voters are overcoming this hardship doesn’t undermine that reality.”
Soon-to-be two-time loser Stacey Abrams sounded similar notes in her debate with Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Winner) on Sunday, attempting to make the case that “the fact that people are voting is in spite of SB 202, not because of it.”
See how it works? Georgia’s General Assembly passes a law that strengthens voter integrity in the state; in fact, Kemp’s line has been that the new law makes it easier to vote and harder to cheat. Minorities are still able to vote because nobody’s vote is being suppressed. Yet that’s “in spite” of the law and “overcoming this hardship.”
What “voter suppression” really means is “Democrats lose.”
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger oversees elections in the state, even though the yeoman’s work takes place at the local level. And he’s punching back at the Democrats’ nonsense.
Raffensperger appeared on CNN This Morning on Wednesday, and he said of Abrams’ complaints, “it’s silly. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not logical. You’re having record turnout.”
“We now have photo ID for all forms of voting. We’ve instituted photo ID. And that really helps you identify with, you know, enhanced security and confidence in the process,” he told host Poppy Harlow. “And so we’re seeing that people really feel that we have safe, secure, and honest elections. And look at the numbers. We’re having record turnout for early voting. People are seeing that the lines are moving quickly. We’re not seeing any major issues in any area.”
Democrat Bee Nguyen is opposing Raffensperger in next week’s election, and she seems to think that it’s a problem that he is doing his job rather than serving as an activist for Democrat cheating.
“We deserve better than somebody who believes that the office’s duty is just to count the vote,” Nguyen told a Democrat crowd at a rally in Milledgeville, Ga., last week. The thing is, when it comes to elections, that’s pretty much his duty.
Related: Is This the REAL Reason Dems in Georgia Are Tanking?
Raffensperger has been a polarizing figure, but it hasn’t hurt his chances for re-election. He became infamous when reports revealed that Donald Trump called him after Joe Biden won Georgia’s 2020 vote, encouraging Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to push Trump over the top. Raffensperger demurred, holding firm to his duties according to the state constitution.
As a result, Raffensperger faced multiple challengers in this year’s primary, but he dispatched with all of them handily. He looks to do the same with Nguyen, who has also tried to hit him on his support for strict abortion laws — as if that has anything to do with the office of secretary of state at all.
The Associated Press calls Nguyen “one of a slate of strong Democratic downballot candidates running in Georgia,” even though they’re all losing. But Raffensperger punched back and Nguyen as well in their debate on Oct. 18.
“I report the results, and sometimes people don’t like that,” he said. “And I’ve had to stand up to the incredible pressure. And I’ll continue to stand up to pressure, because when I do that, I’m standing up for you the voter; I’m standing up for the Constitution and I’m standing up for the rule of law. Many people buckled and folded. I didn’t, and I won’t.”
If all the polling is right, Raffensperger will cruise to victory on Tuesday, and it’s because he has protected voter integrity in Georgia with the help of the General Assembly and Gov. Kemp. That’s something Abrams, Warnock, and Nguyen can’t abide because it means that they lose fair and square.
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