GA-SEN: Special Election Moves From Likely to Lean Republican
There was no political honeymoon for newly-appointed Georgia GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler this week as she gained both a serious Republican and Democratic challenger. Less than a month into her tenure, Rep. Doug Collins announced he'd challenge Loeffler from the right. Meanwhile, Democrats wooed a top recruit in Rev. Raphael Warnock, the African-American pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, into the contest.
This race isn't a traditional primary followed by a general election, which will decide the winner, though. Instead, all those three candidates — and likely several others — seeking to fill the remaining two years of former Sen. Johnny's Isakson's term will run in a jungle primary on November 3, 2020. If no candidate receives a majority (which seems all but certain), the top two finishers will advance to a runoff on January 5, 2021. That means that depending on how other competitive races fall, it may take two months after Election Day until party control of the Senate is known.
There had been a push in the Georgia legislature this week to try and force regular party primaries in June — a move which would have immediately boosted the better-known Collins, who enjoyed a surge in fame with his passionate defense of President Trump amid the House impeachment, over the political newcomer Loeffler. It also could have helped Democrats by ensuring they not only have a candidate in the general election but that it's most likely Warnock who would advance, given the short time frame.
https://cookpolitical.com/analysis/senate/georgia-senate/georgia-senate-special-election-moves-likely-lean-republican
