Elections

RNC to host GA ‘Victory Rally’ with Trump, other GOP figures amid both Senate runoffs

Published

3 years ago

December 2, 2020

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is set to host a ‘Victory Rally’ in Georgia on December 5 that will feature President Donald Trump and other Republicans, according to an email sent out by the RNC on Wednesday.

This rally, according to a tweet from ABC News’ Johnny Verhovek, is scheduled to take place in Valdosta, Georgia on Saturday at 7 pm at the regional airport. The event will see remarks from Trump, Georgia Sens. David Perdue (R) and Kelly Loeffler (R), candidate for Public Service Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, and other Republicans.

INBOX: The Republican National Committee Hosts a Victory Rally Featuring President Donald J. Trump, Senator David Perdue, Senator Kelly Loeffler, and Other Republicans in Valdosta, GA pic.twitter.com/bylQHYkPR5
— Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) December 2, 2020

This is amidst the two side-by-side runoff elections for both of the Peach State’s U.S. Senate seats that will determine which political party will control the upper chamber of Congress, albeit with a slim majority, likely until the 2022 midterm elections.

Perdue and Loeffler currently face brutal re-election fights in both their January 5 runoff races against well-funded Democratic opponents, Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock respectively. On November 3 both Senate races, featuring multiple candidates, resulted in no candidate receiving more than 50% of the vote, which automatically triggered runoffs between the two highest vote-getters in each race in accordance with state law.

If Democrats sweep both seats in January, they will control 50 out of the 100 Senate seats and have Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the tiebreaking vote. Whether or not they can achieve this hat trick will make or break which of President-elect Joe Biden‘s cabinet picks will be confirmed by the Senate once he officially becomes president on January 20.

It should be noted that the Loeffler-Warnock race is also a special election, since Loeffler was appointed by Georgia’s governor in December 2019 to succeed then-Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) after he announced that he would be stepping down for health reasons. The winner of this special election’s runoff will serve the remainder of Isakson’s term, which ends on January 3, 2023.

Since the runoffs began about a month ago, a flood of high-profile Republicans and Democrats have flocked to Georgia to campaign for their respective party’s pair of senatorial candidates. Many speculate that a big motivator behind these big-name political figures’ aggressive campaigning in the runoffs is to set themselves up for potential presidential bids in 2024. This has especially been said of Vice President Mike Pence now that Trump won’t have a second term in the White House, although a similar amount of speculation has emerged in recent weeks that Trump might try to run again in 2024.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

Elections

Eric Clapton Raises $2.2 Million for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s Presidential Campaign

Published

16 hours ago

September 21, 2023

Alexander Carter

Rock and Roll and Blues legend Eric Clapton took center stage at a recent campaign fundraiser, raising an impressive $2.2 million for Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Clapton’s electrifying performance at a private concert in Los Angeles underscored his support for Kennedy’s primary campaign against President Biden, making headlines across the nation.

The event, which featured Clapton’s iconic guitar prowess and took place against the backdrop of a prominent Kennedy 2024 banner, was a resounding success, according to a campaign press release. According to reports from Fox News, of the $2.2 million raised, $1 million directly benefited Kennedy’s campaign, while the remaining $1.2 million bolstered a political action committee supporting the Democrat’s bid for the presidency.

Attendees eager to support Kennedy’s campaign invested a cool $6,600 per ticket, as reported by the Daily Mail, to witness Clapton’s musical artistry and to lend their support to the candidate. Kennedy expressed his deep gratitude to Clapton for his role in the event, emphasizing the unifying power of music in today’s divided society.

“I am deeply grateful to Eric Clapton for bringing his musical artistry and rebellious spirit to my gathering in Los Angeles last night,” Kennedy remarked in the press release. He added, “I sometimes think that in our divided society, it is music rather than any kind of intellectual agreement that has the most potential to bring us together again. Eric sings from the depths of the human condition.”

Kennedy also credited artists like Clapton for invoking faith in the limitless power of human beings to overcome obstacles and unite the nation. The campaign event not only showcased Clapton’s performance but also included a private dinner attended by Kennedy, his wife Cheryl Hines, Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills & Nash fame, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, I-Hawaii.

However, not everyone in attendance aligned with Kennedy’s presidential aspirations. Stephen Stills, who was initially present at the fundraiser, made it clear afterward that his support remained firmly behind President Biden. According to the Daily Beast, Stills issued a statement through a spokesperson, affirming his allegiance to the incumbent president.

“I support President Biden,” Stills declared. “I was there as a guest to support Eric Clapton, who performed.”

The event served as a notable intersection of music, politics, and fundraising, underlining the influential role that artists and musicians can play in shaping the political landscape and contributing to presidential campaigns.

With Kennedy’s campaign coffers significantly bolstered by Clapton’s performance, the 2024 presidential race continues to garner attention and financial support from a diverse array of donors and influencers.