Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ expected long-running effort to persuade the U.S. Senate to vote for $ 2,000 stimulus checks, an increase endorsed by President Donald Trump over the original $ 600 stimulus checks Trump signed on Sunday, could have a negative effect on Georgia Senators Kelly Loeffler. and David Perdue, who are both running in a special election for their seats in January.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday asked the Senate on Tuesday to vote on the dominant Trump veto over the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which describes the funding of all U.S. defense operations. Sanders objected to McConnell’s request. When Sanders declared that he wanted the Senate to vote on the $ 2,000 stimulus checks, McConnell objected. Sanders’ attempt to delay the vote on the veto could keep the Senate in session until January 1st.
Democratic senator Massachusetts Ed Markey said in comments Tuesday that he agrees with Sanders. “We have to vote,” Markey said. “It has to be yes or no, and we have to do it before the end of this year.”
In a Tuesday tweet, Sanders made clear the importance of the vote. “Today and @SenMarkey and I are demanding a $ 2,000 vote for working people,” Sanders tweeted Tuesday. “It’s simple – no vote, no new year break for senators.”
Today @SenMarkey and I demanded a $ 2,000 vote for working people. It’s simple – no vote, no New Year’s holiday for senators.
– Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) 29 December 2020
Newsweek reached out to the offices of Sanders and Perdue for comment.
Jemal Gravin / Getty Images for care in action / Getty
Remnants in Washington could keep Loeffler and Perdue out of the public eye during the days leading up to Georgia’s 5 run. Both Democratic candidates – Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock – have previously expressed support for the $ 2,000 stimulus checks. Loeffler and Perdue, who have both teamed up closely with Trump, only expressed public support for the higher stimulus checks until Tuesday.
In a Tuesday interview with Fox News, Perdue said he was “delighted” to support Trump’s call for $ 2,000 stimulus checks.
“This appropriation we are currently talking about brings in money for vaccine distribution, for our hospitals, our schools. It helps us to get our lives back to normal,” Perdue said. “What the president is trying to do is make sure we do it. He does not trust that there can be another step in a few months. He wants to do it now.”
“I stood by the president 100 percent of the time,” Loeffler told Fox News on Tuesday. “I am proud to do so and I have absolutely said that we Americans need to be relieved now and I will support it.”
Jessica McGowan / Getty
Both Senate candidates in Georgia made the $ 2,000 stimulus checks a focal point of their respective campaigns. Ossoff and Warnock on Tuesday criticized the sudden support of Loeffler and Perdue for the increased direct payments. “Perdue doesn’t care if it’s $ 600 or $ 2000,” Ossoff tweeted. “He would vote for $ 0 if that meant he would win. And he would just as easily change his mind once this election is over.”
“You could get a $ 2000 relief test this week if @KLoeffler had not stopped the relief for nine months,” Warnock tweeted.
You might be able to get a $ 2000 relief check this week @KLoeffler did not stop relief for nine months.
– Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) 29 December 2020
According to FiveThirtyEight, polling averages indicate a close race in Georgia. As of Tuesday, Perdue had 48 percent of the support while Ossoff left with 47.6 percent of the support. Warnock votes 48.2 percent and Loeffler 47.7 percent.
Many Georgians have already cast their votes. Information from the U.S. election project shows that 2,337,477 Georgia voters participated in early voting, a number that equates to 30.2 percent of all registered voters in the state.
McConnell and other Republicans are counting on at least one GOP victory in Georgia’s election to retain control of the Senate. If both Ossoff and Warnock win their election, the Senate will be divided equally between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats will have a head start with incoming President-elect Joe Biden as incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris becomes Senate President. Any votes that break even will be cast by Harris.