Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility WATCH: Jon Ossoff Joins ABC’s “This Week” to Discuss What’s at Stake in the Georgia Runoff Race - Jon Ossoff for U.S. Senate
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WATCH: Jon Ossoff Joins ABC’s “This Week” to Discuss What’s at Stake in the Georgia Runoff Race

Ossoff: “After four years of division that’s been corrosive to our national soul, we’re seeing record breaking turnout in Georgia from voters who are demanding change, who are demanding competent, honest leadership out of this crisis.”

Atlanta, Ga. — This morning, investigative journalist and Georgia Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Jon Ossoff joined Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week” to discuss what’s at stake for Georgians in the January 5 runoff election, from COVID-19 economic recovery by getting more relief for working families and small businesses to protecting health care during the pandemic. 

Ossoff connected the stakes of this race to something many can relate to as they look back on a year of failed federal leadership, “Georgians are about to celebrate Thanksgiving without family. Georgians are looking at a future that is continued to be threatened by the spread of this virus and a very uncertain economic scenario.”

Ossoff highlighted the stark contrast between his positive message and platform, and the GOP’s lack thereof and commitment to obstruction. “The GOP at the national level has no leader, has no message, and has no vision, other than stopping Joe Biden. But we are in a crisis, we need leadership, we need to ensure Joe Biden can govern, and this administration is successful.”

Ossoff also discussed the enthusiasm on the ground in Georgia, pointing to the “record-breaking turnout in Georgia from voters who are demanding change, who are demanding competent, honest leadership out of this crisis,” and in particular the “power of Black turnout here: the determination of Black voters in Georgia to make a change in this country. 

Earlier this week, Ossoff barnstormed the Peach State during a four-day, seven-city tour laying out his vision for the “Future of Georgia.” 

Later today, Ossoff will join Rev. Raphael Warnock for an outdoor, socially distanced meet-and-greet in Cobb County with Georgia voters and local Democratic officials. 

WATCH:

Highlights of Ossoff’s appearance can be found below:

I suppose they say the first stage is denial. Trump is leaving, whether he knows it or not. And the question now is how we’re going to contain this pandemic, which is raging out of control, which is spreading at an accelerating rate. 

“There are hundreds of thousands of lives hanging in the balance. There are millions of jobs and homes and livelihoods hanging in the balance, and that’s why it’s so important to win these two Senate races so that the incoming presidential administration can govern, can lead, can enact the solutions necessary to contain this virus and invest in economic recovery.

“Well, we saw a little bit of drop off from the top of the ticket. We saw a few votes go to the Libertarian candidate in the Senate race, but this was the closest Senate race in the country, Martha, and that really reflects the power of Black turnout here: the determination of Black voters in Georgia to make a change in this country. Georgia’s Black community has been hit the hardest by COVID-19. Georgia’s Black community is demanding access to affordable health care, demanding civil rights legislation to secure criminal justice reform.

“And look, Georgians are about to celebrate Thanksgiving without family. Georgians are looking at a future that is continued to be threatened by the spread of this virus and a very uncertain economic scenario. After four years of division that’s been corrosive to our national soul, we’re seeing record breaking turnout in Georgia from voters who are demanding change, who are demanding competent, honest leadership out of this crisis.

“First of all, we are currently organizing and running the largest voter registration and turnout effort in American history. For example, there are 23,000 young people here in Georgia, who will become eligible to vote just between the November election and this January 5 runoff, and a decade of organizing, much of this work led by Stacey Abrams, has put the wind in our sails here in Georgia. 

“What we’re feeling for the first time in four years is hope, is recognition that – with Trump departing – we have the opportunity to define the next chapter in American history to lead out of this crisis, but only by winning the Senate seats. The GOP at the national level has no leader, has no message, and has no vision other than stopping Joe Biden, but we are in a crisis, we need leadership. We need to ensure that Joe Biden can govern, and this administration is successful.

“There’s massive enthusiasm for Joe Biden here. And look, Joe Biden just unseated incumbent president by the most significant popular vote margin for a challenger since Hoover was defeated by Roosevelt in 1932, and that hope that I was just talking about, that feeling that we have the opportunity now to heal our nation’s soul after four years of hatred and fear mongering and division.”

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