Georgia Democrats Ossoff, Warnock challenge Republicans to debate in Senate runoff

Democratic candidates in a pair of U.S. Senate runoff races in Georgia on Monday challenged the two incumbent Republican senators to debates ahead of a Jan. 5 vote that will decide control of the Senate.

Democrat Jon Ossoff said he had accepted invitations from six media outlets to debates, and urged Republican rival Senator David Perdue to join him in the forums. He had already called Perdue a “coward” on Twitter Sunday following media reports that Perdue had declined a chance to debate on Dec. 6 at the Atlanta Press Club.

Likewise, Democrat Raphael Warnock issued a separate challenge to Republican Kelly Loeffler to three televised debates, including one at the Atlanta Press Club, also on Dec. 6.

Georgia laws require a runoff if no candidate reaches 50 percent. The Ossoff-Perdue race and the Warnock-Loeffler matchup will determine whether Republicans or Democrats lead the Senate after Democratic President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

Democrats need to win both seats to split the Senate 50-50 and give Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote. Georgia has not elected a Democratic senator since 1996, but Democratic President-elect Joe Biden narrowly leads President Donald Trump there by 49.5% to 49.2% in the recent presidential election. A recount is underway.