Kelly Loeffler, Democrat Raphael Warnock Advance to Runoff Race in Georgia

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and Democrat Raphael Warnock advanced to the Georgia Senate runoff election on Tuesday, according to projections.

Loeffler and Warnock advanced to the runoff election on January 5. The special election’s victor will serve the remaining two years of the six-year term  the retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-G) was elected to in 2016. Isakson resigned at the end of 2018, citing health concerns. 

Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), who failed to advance to the runoff, congratulated Loeffler on her victory.

“I just called @kloeffler and congratulated her on making the runoff,” Collins wrote. “She has my support and endorsement. I look forward to all Republicans coming together. Raphael Warnock would be a disaster for Georgia and America.”

I just called @kloeffler and congratulated her on making the runoff. She has my support and endorsement. I look forward to all Republicans coming together. Raphael Warnock would be a disaster for Georgia and America.

— Doug Collins (Text DOUG to 87123) (@CollinsforGA) November 4, 2020

Gov. Brian Kemp (R) appointed businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to the position. 

Since Loeffler was first appointed to the position, she quickly moved to establish her conservative credentials.

In her first act in Congress, Loeffler cosponsored Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) legislation which would end the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump.

The Georgia conservative also worked to curb the power of big tech in Congress, as well as to establish law and order amidst violence and looting in the latter half of 2020. 

In October, Loeffler sponsored legislation to limit the scope of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to stop “un-American” censorship of free speech on the Internet, she revealed to Breitbart News exclusively. 

“In a country that has long cherished the freedom of expression, we cannot allow Big Tech to handpick the speech that conservatives and Americans may access and post on the internet,” the Georgia conservative said. “For too long, Big Tech has hidden behind the overly vague Section 230 protections while engaging in practices that are fundamentally un-American and anti-democratic.”

Loeffler has taken significant steps to rein in big tech’s censorship. She introduced the Stopping Big Tech Censorship Act to amend Section 230 and provide a pathway for individuals to challenge big tech companies’ liability protection after a company censors otherwise constitutionally protected speech.

The Georgia conservative also cosponsored the Limiting Section 230 to the Good Samaritans Act to allow Americans to sue big tech companies for suppressing free speech on the Internet.

Loeffler has also blasted Warnock for “provoking violence” against Georgia’s police. 

Warnock said in one speech in 2015 that law enforcement often serves as a “danger” to children. He also said that law enforcement acts “like bullies on the street.”

“Our children are in trouble, and it’s often those who are sworn to protect who cause more trouble. … Our children are in danger,” he said.

She said in a statement in October:

For months, Democrats have fueled the anti-police sentiment in this country — villainizing our police officers, attempting to defund our police departments, and organizing anti-police rallies in our streets. But for years, Raphael Warnock has railed against the police from his pulpit — calling them gangsters and thugs, claiming they endanger our children, and dismissing them as bullies on the street.

Loeffler has sponsored a package of legislation with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) to crack down on violent rioters and protesters. The Holding Rioters Accountable Act of 2020 would cut Justice Department funding to jurisdictions that fail to prosecute rioters and looters. The Securing Commerce and Protecting Businesses Act of 2020 would make it a federal crime to destroy certain commercial property or loot retail property business during a riot. And, the Protecting Public Safety and Supporting Law Enforcement Act would withhold federal highway funding from states and local governments that defund local law enforcement agencies.

Loeffler has also slammed Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Joe Biden’s vice presidential candidate, for failing to denounce protesters at the hospital for wishing death upon police officers who were shot in Los Angeles, California. 

Loeffler said:

It’s a stark contrast between the so-called Harris-Biden administration, where they support autonomous zones, and what President Trump has done to get these results. I think of these as two illustrative ways to point out the difference. Under President Trump, we created the strongest economy that had rising wages at all levels, particularly at the lowest level income earners, and the job-crushing, opportunity-crushing platform of the Biden-Harris ticket — taxes, Green New Deal, Medicare for All.

She added, “So I think it’s just one more piece of evidence that they would take us in a very dangerous direction.”

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.