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Georgia Democrats Face Off in Senate Primary After Delay

Associated Press

   ATLANTA - The Democratic candidates vying to take on Republican Sen.
   David Perdue of Georgia in November face off in a primary election
   Tuesday after weeks of delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

   But the state's chief election officer has warned that voters could
   face long lines and results may be slow to be reported, as poll
   closures and virus restrictions complicate in-person voting and
   counties work to process a huge increase in paper ballots received by
   mail.

   Top Democrats in the Senate primary include former congressional
   candidate Jon Ossoff, former Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson and former
   candidate for lieutenant governor Sarah Riggs Amico.

   Perdue, a close ally of President Donald Trump, is seeking a second
   term in November as Republicans look to hold the White House and Senate
   majority. He drew no GOP primary opposition.

   The race has proven to be anything but predictable, with election day
   postponed and campaigns forced almost entirely online because of the
   coronavirus and the final days seeing widespread protests and civil
   unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

   Criticism of the Trump administration's response on both fronts has
   added fuel to Democrats' ambitions of winning in Georgia, where
   Republicans still dominate statewide elections, but Democrats are
   increasingly making gains.

   If no candidate receives more than 50% of votes, the top two finishers
   will advance to an Aug. 11 primary runoff. Other Democrats in the race
   include former ACLU of Georgia head Maya Dillard Smith, Air Force
   veteran James Knox and another hopeful, Marckeith DeJesus.

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