Trump returning to Georgia in last-minute push for Republican Senate candidates

President Trump said in a tweet early Sunday that he will return to Georgia one day before two Senate runoffs in January that will determine control of the upper chamber.

“As badly as we were treated in Georgia by the ‘Republican’ Governor and ‘Republican’ Secretary of State, we must have a massive victory for two great people, @KLoeffler & @sendavidperdue, on January 5th,” he said. “I will be having a big Rally for them on Monday night, January 4th. WIN!”

As badly as we were treated in Georgia by the “Republican” Governor and “Republican” Secretary of State, we must have a massive victory for two great people, @KLoeffler & @sendavidperdue, on January 5th. I will be having a big Rally for them on Monday night, January 4th. WIN!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2020

At a rally for Republican Georgia Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in Valdosta earlier this month, a defiant Trump insisted that the election was “rigged” against him.

Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely insisted that he won the Peach State and the 2020 election, also urged voters to get to the polls, saying Democrats were trying to “rig” the Senate elections. 

“You must go vote and vote early starting Dec. 14. You have to do it. They cheated, and they rigged our presidential election, but we will still win it. We will still win it. We’ll still win it. And they’re going to try and rig this election too,” Trump told the crowd.

Trump during the rally also targeted Republicans leaders in the Peach State, including Gov. Brian Kemp, criticizing them for not upholding his efforts to overturn the election results in Georgia. 

Despite the president’s attacks, Kemp late Friday tweeted photos of himself and his daughter posing for pictures at the White House.

“Lucy and I had a great time at the @WhiteHouse Christmas Party today. Merry Christmas, everyone!” the GOP governor tweeted.

Lucy and I had a great time at the @WhiteHouse Christmas Party today. Merry Christmas, everyone! pic.twitter.com/nKPLe3M32Y

— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) December 19, 2020

Hours earlier, the president had tagged Kemp in a tweet, calling him and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) “so-called ‘Republicans.'”

The New York Times also reported on Friday that Trump decided not to follow through with a tentatively planned trip to Georgia this weekend to campaign for Loeffler and Perdue.

A senior Republican official told the newspaper that the president’s continued anger with Kemp and Raffensperger was to blame for the cancelation.

President-elect Joe Biden, whose win in Georgia was confirmed multiple times through several recounts, with the Electoral College last Monday certifying his victory, campaigned in the state for Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock last week.

Democrats must win both seats to reach a 50-50 Senate, which would pave the way for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to cast tiebreaking votes.