Also in today’s edition of Swing State Georgia:
Herschel takes on trees.
Lindsey Graham’s testimony on hold.
The food and water ban stays in place - for now.
Republicans need a net gain of just one Senate seat to take control of the chamber in a political climate that favors the GOP. So why is Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell lowering expectations of a flip?
The Kentucky Republican described “candidate quality” as an important factor why the Senate might not switch hands in November, triggering fresh criticism from Donald Trump and other party figures.
“I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate. Senate races are just different — they’re statewide, candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome,” McConnell said during a speech in Kentucky last week.
McConnell’s Senate Leadership Fund is now ramping up its efforts to bolster nominees in Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The group has pumped $37 million into Georgia’s race already to boost former football star Herschel Walker, who trails U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock in most polls. Warnock also has a decisive financial edge.
After a campaign event Sunday, Walker told us he was unfazed by McConnell’s “candidate quality” remarks as he predicted victory.
“I don’t ever worry about stuff like that,” said Walker. “When I got into this race, I got in this race to win it for the people. I said, ‘Guys, I’m here for the people of Georgia.’ I’m not worried about what people say.”
MIDDLE EAST POLITICS. Walker’s remarks came after a Sunday event with the Republican Jewish Committee at a movie theater in the heart of Sandy Springs, a formerly Republican-leaning area that has tilted Democratic in recent elections.
“I’m going into areas that maybe Republicans didn’t go in,” he said after the event. “I don’t worry about where they’re supposed to go and where they’re not supposed to go,” he said.
At the event, Walker drew applause for his outspoken opposition to a revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which former President Donald Trump abandoned shortly after he was elected.
Walker predicted revisiting the deal, in which Iran agreed to arms limits in exchange for sanctions relief, would backfire on the U.S. by emboldening Iran-- and he panned U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock for not criticizing the pact.
“That’s what I don’t get. You’re going to give money to terrorists to be nice to you? He never read the definition of a terrorist, has he? They don’t like you. They like nothing about you.”
Swing State's paid subscribers receive text alerts from our reporting team. See below for how to sign up.SILENT RUNNING. When asked by reporters about the new federal climate change, tax and healthcare law passed by Democrats in Congress, Walker came back to a familiar attack line, as he charged the package was filled with wasteful spending..
“They continue to try to fool you that they are helping you out. But they’re not. Because a lot of money it’s going to trees. Don’t we have enough trees around here?”
The wags on Twitter were ready.
“Herschel 2022: Too Many Trees,” read one fake slogan.
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