MARIETTA, Georgia — Democrats aren't turned off by Republican incumbent Sen. David Perdue pegging challenger Jon Ossoff as a "radical" and a "socialist." In fact, that's what some Democrats like about him.
Perdue, a first-term senator and former business executive, is at risk of losing his seat to the documentary filmmaker less than a month before their Nov. 3 general election. And if neither one of them secures a majority of the vote then, their fight will continue until a Jan. 5 runoff.
If Ossoff's name sounds familiar, it's because he previously lost the high-profile 2017 special election for Georgia's 6th Congressional District after it was vacated by former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price. At $50 million, it was the most expensive House race at the time.
While this cycle's contest has been largely overshadowed by another special election, the 21-candidate one to replace retired Sen. Johnny Isakson, that hasn't prevented Perdue's campaign for going after Ossoff. And going after Ossoff hard.
From his financial links to Hollywood and China, and an ad Ossoff blasted as "anti-Semitic" because it appeared to elongate his nose, Perdue has repeatedly reminded voters of Ossoff's connection to national Democrats and their liberal agenda.
"The road to socialism will never run through the state of Georgia," he told supporters this week at the first stop of his statewide bus tour.
Outside a trendy suburban food hall in Marietta, nestled in the heart of Georgia's 6th District, Amanda Smith, 28, bristled at the Republican approach.
The GOP was "making it out to be this horrible thing when really capitalism is failing us," the Marietta teacher told the Washington Examiner.
"I'm more toward democratic socialism because I think that we should help people," she said. "They like to quote all these countries that socialism is failing, but then you look at places like Sweden where it's doing great."
Although Smith didn't identify as a Democrat, she added of Republicans, "They love to say taxes are going to be higher but think about all the things your higher taxes will get you. Free education, free healthcare, you don't have student loans. Imagine that?"
Ossoff's one downside? "I wish we had a more diverse candidate, versus here's another white male running for office. I'm so sick of that," she said. "But at least he has super progressive views."
Eric and Julia Anderson agreed, speaking with the Washington Examiner after nabbing a bite to eat.
"Why is it socialistic to want to take care of everyone? Why is it so horrible that everyone should not have to worry about their health?" Eric, 33, asked.
Julia, 27, conceded the "inflammatory" language did hurt Democrats with some centrist and independent voters. She just hoped people would question the charged rhetoric.
"It sounds scary, 'radical.' That doesn't sound like a good thing," she said. "Whereas sometimes there is a need for a radical change, but that's a necessary and good change."
And the Kennesaw nurse assumed she wasn't the only one to hold that opinion. She'd been "pleasantly surprised" by the number of Democratic yard signs stuck in front lawns around her traditionally GOP neighborhood.
"It's largely based on the climate on the presidential scale where people are saying we have to be more vocal especially coming from a Democratic standpoint over Republican," she said.
But even with that momentum, Eric, a sales representative, cautioned that the odds were still stacked against Ossoff. He cited Georgia's urban-rural voter breakdown and history of voter suppression.
"Us being realists and a little bit pessimistic, the likelihood of him winning is probably better, but I would say Ossoff has more of a fighting chance than I would have anticipated even looking back from a few years ago," he said.
Perdue leads Ossoff by an average of 3.5 percentage points less than four weeks before Election Day, according to RealClearPolitics. He also doubled Ossoff's end-of-June fundraising, bringing in $14.5 million to Ossoff's $7 million, though the Democrat netted $4.7 million in August alone.
Further north in GOP stronghold Gainesville, a group of Republicans gathered near the city's square for the first stop of Perdue's bus tour were confident as well.
"Senator Perdue will probably win reelection. It won't be a landslide, but I think he will win," Dale Perry, a 65-year-old Gainesville lawyer, told the Washington Examiner before the early Perdue launch event, juggling a coffee.
Norma Patterson, a 52-year-old Danielsville homemaker, was quieter but more optimistic: "I think Perdue's going to win big time."
Early voting in Georgia starts Oct. 12.
October 11, 2020 at 08:55PM
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Democrats embrace socialist label as Republicans try to take down Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff - Washington Examiner
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