Democratic Wins in Georgia Runoffs Pave the Way for Bringing True Change to the Country, Says SPLC Action Fund

ATLANTA – Early this morning, Rev. Raphael Warnock was projected as the winner of one of Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff elections, and Georgia election officials this afternoon stated Jon Ossoff is building what appears to be an insurmountable lead in the other runoff as outstanding ballots continue to be counted. Margaret Huang, President and CEO of the SPLC Action Fund, issued the following statement in response:

“This election is a testament to the resilience of American democracy, and paves the way for potentially bringing true and lasting change to Georgia, as well as to the rest of the country. Despite Georgia’s long record of voter suppression, an unprecedented number of people – particularly people of color – voted in the runoffs, shattering records from previous years. Black, Latino and Asian Americans have been key to Georgia’s registered voter growth since 2016, and these voters faced shuttered polling locations, waited in incredibly long lines, and diligently filled out and tracked mail-in ballots to have a say in our democracy. 

“Now, for the first time in decades, it appears Georgia will be represented by two Democratic senators. And for the first time ever, the state has selected a Black senator and a Jewish senator to represent them in Congress. The SPLC Action Fund is proud to have endorsed both Senator-elect Warnock and Ossoff, and looks forward to working with them to advance President-elect Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.
 
“Diverse communities across Georgia have spoken. Now, it’s up to their newly-elected senators to serve them well. 

“Fortunately, there is enormous potential for them to create monumental, lasting change. Democrats now have a working majority in the Senate, giving them control of the White House and both houses of Congress for the first time in years. That means Democrats have a newfound ability to advance their agenda – including preserving and expanding Obamacare, bolstering COVID-19 relief, reforming the criminal justice system, advancing civil rights legislation, and so much more. President-elect Biden can also significantly strengthen our court system by appointing more progressive judges for Senate confirmations – a much-needed effort given President Trump’s onslaught of far-right judicial appointments.

“Another key priority must be preserving the integrity of our elections for years to come. For too long, officials and legislators have strategically created hurdles in hopes of reducing turnout among poor people and communities of color. These blatant attacks on democracy need to end. Every Georgian, along with every person in this country, deserves easy and safe access to the ballot box.”