In clearing the 50% mark, Ossoff — along with national Democrats — avoids what would have been a two-month runoff that would have not only been costly but also would have truncated the timeline to rally behind the eventual nominee.
While Perdue’s bid for a second term draws less attention than appointed Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s ongoing struggles in her first six months in office, there’s little question that Georgia’s changing demographics — and distaste for President Donald Trump among suburban women — have made the state a battleground at the presidential and Senate level.
(Nota bene: Both of Georgia’s US Senate seats are up in November because Loeffler’s appointment only carries through this election; she is seeking to fill the final two years of former Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term.)
All of which means that there is reason to be somewhat skeptical that Ossoff can beat Perdue, a reliable vote for Trump over his first six years in office.
Everything likely needs to go right for Ossoff to win. But avoiding a runoff was the first key piece of that puzzle.
And that’s a big win — for Ossoff and his party.
The Point: The name of the game right now for Senate Democrats looking to retake the majority in the fall is expanding the playing field so that they have more margin for error. Ossoff’s outright primary win helps that cause.
