Perdue Rallies Supporters In Hopes To Avoid A Runoff

WAYCROSS, Georgia—-“Y’all. We are not going into a runoff. We are not going into a runoff.  We are not going into a runoff.  We are not going into a runoff.  Did I say we’re not going into a runoff? We are not going into a runoff,” pledged David Perdue, Georgia’s Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, before supporters in Waycross.

As the Georgia businessman wraps up his campaign crisscrossing the Peach State, the polls between him and his Democratic opponent Michelle Nunn show a neck and neck race and both candidates are rallying to bring out their base to not only win but to get at least 51 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. Even with a poll showing Perdue surging ahead of Nunn, the numbers may not be enough to push him over the 51 percent mark.

Additionally, a state judge ruled earlier in the week against civil rights groups looking to force the Georgia Secretary of State to account for around 40,000 voter registrations that were filed but apparently haven’t shown up on the voting rolls, The Hill reported.

The court decision, along with a Libertarian candidate in the race, could very well trigger potential legal action after votes are cast on Tuesday and results show a close contest.

“As we said in the primary, we predicted then–everybody predicted–that we’d have a runoff. And we said, ‘Look we’ll have the resources to compete in the primary and then we’ll make sure we’ll have the resources to compete in the runoff.’ Then we said in the general that we’ll compete,” Perdue told Breitbart News at a campaign stop in St. Simons.

He continued, “We’ve been outspent in every one of those cycles in this election. We’re not thinking about the runoff at this point.  I have one objective and that’s Tuesday night, to be sure, that we do everything we can to give us the best chance in winning Tuesday night. I feel very optimistic about it. We get our vote out, we win this thing.”

Alec Poitevint, a Georgia businessman and Republican National Committee official who managed the RNC Convention in Tampa explained to attendees in Waycross how the campaign would like to see supporters help Perdue become the undisputed winner on Tuesday.

“There are three things we can do to win this election and make a difference so we don’t have a runoff and get it done. First of all in Ware County and in each county out here, there are absentee ballots that have not been returned,” Pointvint said.

“The people in your family and the people that you know that have an absentee ballot–let’s get them back in. One reason is we do very well. High propensity for Republican votes for people who request absentee ballots. People go through the trouble, so get your absentee ballots back in.”

Pointvint also stressed multiple voter recruitment by supporters as well. Early voting in Georgia ends tomorrow. Additionally, Pointvint said on Tuesday, election day, he wants to see Perdue supporters calling up friends and family and asking if they have gone to the polls yet.

“You’ll be surprised how many people that are really engage and are really industrious have forgotten it’s election day or haven’t voted or were going to vote or were headed down to do it but didn’t get it done,” citing friends of his he had just admonished on the phone for not voting early yet.

He added, “There are 600,000 people in Georgia who vote in presidential elections who do not normally vote in this cycle. We have a universal 600,000 cycle.”

Ruby Robinson, President of the Georgia Federation of Republican Women, is confident GOP voters will come out for Perdue in large numbers, so a runoff will not be necessary.

“Well, It’s hard to tell, because it’s up and down up and down as you well know how the polls go, so I think we’ll win the seats I think we’ll take it with out a runoff. That’s what people around the first district are looking for,” she said.

Sheila Galbraith, President of the Savannah Republican Women agrees telling Breitbart News what was once Rep. Jack Kingston’s “machine” is now working for Perdue.

“The Savannah area Republican women, we’re over 200 members strong and we have women from the Effingham County area. I’m from Bryant County–Chatham County, and these women in the past they’d have worked their tails off that was part of the Jack Kingston machine and they have turned that Kingston machine into a Purdue machine and so there is nothing we won’t do to get out the vote.”