WASHINGTON — If it’s Tuesday … It’s Runoff Day in Georgia. … Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., makes his closing argument, per NBC’s Sahil Kapur: “We want you to indicate up. Are you able to win this election?” … GOP challenger Herschel Walker makes his: “In the event you don’t vote, you’re going to get extra of Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden.” … Polling locations in Georgia shut at 7:00 p.m. ET. … John Bolton says he may run for president in 2024 to cease Trump. … And the general price ticket for adverts within the 2022 cycle reaches practically $8 billion.
However first: The outcomes from 5 counties will assist inform us if Democrat Raphael Warnock is on monitor to win tonight’s Senate runoff in Georgia.
Or if he’s underperforming towards Republican Herschel Walker.
Let’s begin with the Atlanta-area counties of Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett.
Warnock bought 56.9% of the vote in Cobb when he received the Jan. 2021 runoff, and he bought just below that final November (56.8%).
He took 72.5% of the vote in Fulton in 2021, whereas he bought much more than that in his November common election vs. Walker (73.5%).
And in Gwinnett, Warnock bought 60.6% of the vote within the 2021 runoff, in contrast with 58.9% final month towards Walker.
Now let’s flip to 2 counties which can be GOP strongholds.
In rural Chattooga — one in every of NBC Information’ “County to County” counties — Warnock bought simply 20.5% when he received the 2021 runoff, and he bought lower than that within the November common election (19.8%).
And in Forsyth County, a populous exurban outpost north of Atlanta, Warnock took 32.7% of the vote when he received in 2021, and he bought near the identical share final month (32.3%).
So watch these 5 counties when the votes begin coming in.
Information Obtain: The variety of the day is … $7.79 billion
That’s how a lot cash was spent on political tv, radio and digital adverts this whole cycle (beginning the day after the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff by at this time’s runoff), per AdImpact.
The highest advert spenders this cycle are not any shock — the GOP Senate and Home tremendous PACs take the highest spots (spending $220.7 and $192.4 million, respectively) adopted by the 2 Democratic Senate and Home tremendous PACS (spending $157.5 and $144.2 million, respectively).
Warnock’s last tab is about $101 million in advert spending, good for sixth most of any committee this cycle (greater than both Home or Senate political committee).
Different numbers to know:
5: The variety of days in Arizona’s post-election certification window to obtain challenges to the state’s election. The state licensed its election end result Monday, however unsuccessful gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake may file a problem.
$18 million: How a lot cash the Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee’s impartial expenditure arm spent on Latino voter outreach in 2022, per a memo from the committee.
3: The variety of bribery and fraud fees a federal choose dismissed towards former New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin. He nonetheless faces “information falsification” fees.
2: What number of years the deadline to require Actual IDs was prolonged, that means they are going to be required for air vacationers beginning in Might 2025.
14 years: The size of celeb lawyer Michael Avenatti’s jail sentence for robbing his purchasers, the place he confronted fees of extortion and fraud.
2 million: What number of “Dreamers” may entry a path to citizenship in a bipartisan immigration proposal from Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., per NBC Information’ Scott Wong and Frank Thorp.
Headline of the day
Bipartisan duo makes last-minute push for immigration deal
Runoff watch: The ultimate countdown
Warnock joined MSNBC’s Pleasure Reid for an interview Monday evening in Atlanta, the place he criticized Walker as “unprepared…unqualified…unfit to signify the folks of Georgia.”
The early voting information reveals that Warnock ended final week with the early-vote edge, and the New York Occasions studies that Walker’s allies imagine he wants about 60% of the in-person vote from at this time to win (information from the Georgia Secretary of State’s workplace reveals Walker received a bit greater than 56% of the Election Day vote in November).
Each candidates rallied their supporters on the ultimate day earlier than the election — Warnock campaigned with Killer Mike, Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and Florida Democratic Rep.-elect Maxwell Frost, whereas former President Trump held a tele-rally for Walker, who simply hours later unveiled an endorsement from Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Eyes on 2024: GOP response to Trump controversy follows acquainted path
Congressional Republicans, now again in Washington and going through reporters, are beginning to reply to former President Donald Trump’s newest controversy. Trump claimed over the weekend that even the Structure could be “terminated” as a response to the 2020 election, which Trump falsely claims was stolen.
Republicans denounced Trump’s assertion, however stopped in need of saying it means he’s unfit for workplace, NBC Information’ Zoë Richards, Kate Santaliz and Garrett Haake report. Take Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who’s up for re-election in 2024. Requested if Trump’s remarks have been disqualifying, Scott mentioned, “I feel the voters get to resolve these issues.”
Trump’s newest assertion additionally spurred his former Nationwide Safety Adviser, John Bolton, to disclose he’s contemplating operating for president. Bolton, whom Trump fired in 2019, advised Meet the Press Now he would “completely” contemplate operating if no different potential GOP candidate denounces Trump’s feedback.
“I feel to be a presidential candidate you may’t simply say, ‘I help the Structure.’ You must say, ‘I’d oppose individuals who would undercut it,’” Bolton mentioned.
Elsewhere in 2024 information:
RNC race: Harmeet Dhillon, a committeewoman from California who leads the Republican Nationwide Attorneys Affiliation, introduced on Fox Information Monday evening that she is operating for RNC chair. “Republicans are bored with dropping and I feel we actually must radically reshape our management to be able to win,” she mentioned.
View from Sanders world: Former Bernie Sanders marketing campaign supervisor Faiz Shakir penned a New York Occasions op-ed sharply criticizing the proposal to make South Carolina the primary Democratic main state, writing, “The change can be comical if it weren’t tragic.”
Are you able to pay my payments?: Trump’s Save America PAC is paying authorized charges for some witnesses within the Mar-a-Lago investigation, the Washington Publish studies.
De$antis: Donors prepared to pay between $50,000 and $1 million to sponsor Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inauguration may get entry to the governor and potential presidential contender, Politico studies.
ICYMI: What else is occurring on the planet
Conservative justices on the Supreme Courtroom “appeared sympathetic” to arguments from a Christian internet designer who needs to refuse to work on same-sex weddings, NBC Information’ Lawrence Hurley studies. The arguments additionally noticed Justice Samuel Alito joke about “Black Santa, kids in Klan robes and relationship web sites,” per NBC Information’ Summer time Concepcion.
Democratic leaders in Congress are weighing permitting a invoice ending the navy’s Covid vaccine mandate to advance NBC Information’ Julie Tsirkin and Kyle Stewart report.
Iran protesters are dismissing the uncertainty associated to the regime’s morality police, and are upping the strain with strikes.
Former Rep. David Rivera, R-Fla., who obtained a multi-million consulting contract from the Venezuelan authorities, was arrested on Monday as a part of a prison investigation.
