“January 6 is still a long way off; right now we have a senate race to run here in Georgia,” Loeffler said. “We have to win. The future of the country is on the ballot. I want to make sure that we win that, to hold the line here in Georgia against the radical left, the democratic socialist policies, and that’s what I do it every day. “
When pressed if she left the option open, Loeffler replied, “I didn’t look at it. January 6th is a long way off; there’s still a lot to play between now.”
Loeffler, who is being challenged by Reverend Raphael Warnock, also declined to name Biden the president-elect during a brief press conference after casting her vote for the Georgia races on Wednesday morning. She ignored or ignored several direct questions about the results of the presidential election, claiming that she was focusing all her energy on the Jan. 5 second round.
“The president is entitled to any legal remedy,” she said. “That’s what’s going on right now. I’m focused on winning this race on January 5.”
Both GOP candidates in the Georgia run-off found themselves in a difficult position as they attempt to set Republican base voters on fire to participate in the run-off, which is expected to be very close.
Their efforts have been complicated by President Donald Trump, who, despite his support of Loeffler and GOP Senator David Perdue, has spent much of his time challenging the results of the presidential race in Georgia and attacking leading Republicans who oversee stopped the voting process and the results confirmed. .
Warnock quickly jumped on Loffler’s comments on Wednesday, accusing her of disrespecting Georgia voters.
“After weeks of refusing to acknowledge the fundamental fact that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the election, Kelly Loeffler now leaves the door open to challenge those results in Congress,” Warnock said in a statement. “That is reckless and disrespectful to voters in Georgia.”
Republican voters in Georgia have put immense pressure on Loeffler and Perdue to show their support for Trump’s fateful quest to reverse the results. Some have paused their campaign stops and are demanding that they do more to stand up for Trump. When the pair appeared onstage with Trump at a rally in Valdosta, the crowd erupted into a chant of “Fight for Trump.”
It has left Loeffler and Perdue in a situation where they were forced to wade cautiously through the sensitive issue and show full loyalty to Trump, despite the reality of the presidential race’s results. So much so that when Loeffler was asked on Wednesday if she will ever admit Biden won the election, she replied:
“See, there’ll be a time for that, when that gets true.”
Loeffler can have a vote, win or lose on January 6. Filling a seat vacated by the retirement of Senator Jonny Isakson, she will remain in office until the results of the runoff are certified by the Georgia Secretary of State. That can take a week or more, depending on how long it takes to count all votes. It is likely that even if she is the apparent loser, she will still be a member of the Senate when Congress meets to record the results of the electoral college.