Georgia GOP Sen. David Perdue Refuses To Debate Democrat Jon Ossoff Before Runoff Election

Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) has refused to debate his Democratic opponent, Jon Ossoff, prior to their runoff election on January 5. His place at the debate, which will be on December 6, will be an empty podium.

Because neither candidate earned 50% of the vote in the election on November 3, by Georgia law, they are facing a runoff election. Since Election Day, Perdue has stood firmly by President Donald Trump’s side in arguing false claims of election fraud, similar to other Georgian Republicans.

The Atlanta Press Club is in charge of hosting two debates for Senate runoffs in Georgia.

“Looks like Sen. David Perdue is too much of a coward to debate me again,” Ossoff wrote on Twitter on Sunday. “Senator, come on out and try to defend your record. I’m ready to go.” Ossoff has also said that a debate between the two should be “the bare minimum” that voters should be able to expect from the candidates.

After their first debate, which was just before Election Day, Perdue withdraw from a second debate after Ossoff called him a “crook.” Perdue attended a Trump rally on the day of the debate instead.

“The runoff in Georgia is an extension of the November 3rd general election, where 52 percent of Georgians voted against Jon Ossoff and his radical agenda,” said Perdue campaign manager Ben Fry on Sunday. “Perdue had a commanding first place win, outpacing Ossoff by over 85,000 votes –in nearly every other state, Perdue would have been reelected already.”

The other runoff election from Georgia, between Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) and Democrat Raphael Warnock will also take place on January 5, but Loeffler and Warnock are scheduled to debate at least twice prior to the election.