Poll: Solid Majority of Georgians Side with Loeffler, Perdue Against Renaming Atlanta Braves

Georgia’s sitting Republican Senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are preparing for a runoff election next month, and their opposition to the Atlanta Braves’ name change is popular with both Democrats and Republicans.

According to recent polls, Georgia voters — both Democrats and Republicans — oppose the Atlanta Braves dumping their Native American name. The team was established way back in 1871. And even as they have moved from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta, they were always the Braves.

Though, activists are again trying to force the team to change its “offensive” name. Thus far, it appears that the Englewood, Colorado-based Liberty Media Corporation that owns the team is sticking with its nearly 150-year-old name.

However, the pressure is mounting.

Both Loeffler and Perdue quickly came out to oppose the name change. The two senators crafted a joint statement saying, “We adamantly oppose any effort to rename the Atlanta Braves, one of our state’s most storied and successful sports franchises. Not only are the Braves a Georgia institution –— with a history spanning 54 years in Atlanta — they’re an American institution.”

President Donald Trump was shocked by the name change announcement:

According to RealClearPolitics, the issue is a winning one for Loeffler and Perdue. A recent poll of voters of both parties oppose the name change.

Overall, Georgians oppose the name change. “71.8% said no, 19.7% said yes, and 8.5% reported not having an opinion,” the site said. But when drilling down into the poll, there is a surprising result.

“Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, a majority of voters who back Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock also want to keep the name. Likely Ossoff voters oppose a change by a 54.4%-39.4% margin; among Warnock voters, it’s 55.7%-36.6%,” the site reported.

Despite the clear preference of the voters, though, neither of the Democrat senate candidates, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have said they oppose the name change.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.