Live from Atlanta. This is a special edition of Sound on the Georgia runoff election. I want you to vote like democracy depends on. This is about turnout and and now that meed it, we gotta get into games. Vote like health care depends on the sideline anymore. You want to vote like yesterday Sound on Politics, Policy and perspective from DC's top name. That is the message, which is he's got to get people to turn out, and he's got to get him to turn out in huge numbers.
But unfortunately for Republicans, they've been listening to Donald Trump talk about fraud and now getting out early. Well, we need people to turn out that are willing to stand in the reign if necessary. Windburg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Here we go again. The runoff is here. Welcome to the fastest hour in politics on
a special edition of Sound On Live from Atlanta. As voters cast balanced across the state in this election that will decide if Senator Raphael Warren keeps his job or of hershel Walker can upset the incumbent, who carries a slight lead in the polls. Were joined by the man in charge of the runoff coming up Georgia's Secretary of
State Brad Rafinsburger. Later our conversation with former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, the last Democrat to hold the corner office, on the shifting political landscape in Georgia, and as Donald Trump's company has found guilty of tax fraud today in New York, will get analysis from our signature panel Bloomberg Politics contributors Rick Davis and Jeanie Chanzano with us on
another election day, the candidates in Georgia's Senate runoff. We're up and out early this morning here Senator Warnock, I am fully acquainted with tired. But let me tell you my definition of tired this morning. Having to be represented by herschel Walker for six years, he's been coming up with the lines urging people to not worry about the rain and go out and vote. It has been a little murky out there today. And I'll tell you what, having been at that rally with Senator Warnock last night
and rapper Jeezy? Is that Geev Jeezy? Yeah? I if that'sk Tyler again, Well, I'm tired too. As herschel Walker, he got up early. Isn't the many interviews with mainstream media. Hit a diner early this morning and took some questions in a sit down with ABC News, in this case, answering questions about accusations from Senator Warnock that he does not live by the family values he espouses. Listen to his response, Well, we're gonna talk about in voting. We're
gonna write and voting and done. John, good job. I think one of the best things we did is doing the early election. I think people got out of they voted again. His answer was, we're gonna we're gonna talk about his voting. And that is true about this program right now is we're joined by the man at the center of this runoff. It's it's his job to run it. Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raethinsburger, finds himself doing this again.
Mr Secretary. Welcome back to Bloomberg Sound On. It's great to have you on what I'm assuming is one of the busiest days of your year. And I'll start with the question everybody's asking, how's turnout? Turnouts good? It's moving through. The longest line we had just a few minutes ago was thirty minutes. The average weight time is three minutes. We just crossed the one point two million voter turnout mark.
About two hours left to go for voters to get out and if they want to make a choice, make a decision on the direction of Georgia, they need to get out there. Two hours left to do so. Yeah, that's right, two hours to go here. If you are listening to us, you've got time to do this. As the weather benefactor's secretary, you must be glad to see the rain pull back a little bit today. Yeah. I voted early this morning and it was raining, but it
stopped and uh, it has to slow down people. We're just saying it steady about a hundred and ten, two hundred twenty thousand voters per hour all hours so far today. What does that tell you, Having you've got recent experience with this secretary, how does that compare to the runoff we saw a couple of years ago. Well, we had just a record turnout for our runoff. We had almost the same numbers that showed up for the runoff as
showed up on election day of the fall election. But going back four years ago, I was in a runoff and we had about one point five million, and we already surpassed that with an early vote plus you had one point to to the one point eight worked over three million then already today, no reports and your regularities so far. No, No, it's just been you know, two
minor issues. One a couple of counties we're gonna have to stay open fifteen minutes, twenty minutes just because you know, proburbial forget about a power cord or things like that. But no, it's been very calm, smooth. But you must be very excited about that. I mean, my goodness, with all the stuff we've been through, even most recently in a couple of states in the general election. Uh, it's
not very often you get such a clean election. Is this the most secure round of voting George has ever had? I think people people now, not just in Georgia, but all of the country. Other in Georgia, we have honest, fair elections. They're secure and they run smooth. We're not seeing long lines. We put into SP two or two that lines had to be shorter than an hour, and right now the average way times three minutes. Longest one of the board I saw coming up here was about
fourteen minutes. Yeah, we were we were at the constantly on library earlier today. And while there was a line going around the block this morning, people were more than happy to wait in in the instances that we saw as long as they knew they were going to vote. But for most of the day people were walking in and out. You mentioned the record uh in early voting very short period of time here. I feel Warnock is made a pretty big deal out of his suing to
hold the votes the day after a holiday. This was the weekend after Thanksgiving. Listen to Senator Warnock. They said, you know, if it were left up we you, we let you vote. But it's in the launch right there. Sorry, our hands are tied, and so I decided to sue them and untied of hands, and we were there. It is Mr Secretaries, the Senator fairly framing the way this work has become part of his stump speech here late
in the game. No, actually he's not, because four years ago I was in a runoff along with a PFC commissioner, and we had a four week run off, just like we're having this time. And so we've now with rank choice voting, moved our fellow run off to a four week run off, just like we do for all state offices, so we had a four week run off. It's always
worked before. Uh, And I think that the General Assembly needs come back and say this is how much early vooting we're gonna have and set those timetables so people can't try to soothe their way to success, try to sue their weight through a progressive judge to get the outcome that they want. Well, I'm glad that we asked you that. Why is early voting dominated by Democrats still? Secretary? Well, it wasn't four years ago. When I ran, I made
sure we turned out our people. My campaign, we it didn't matter if you wanted to vote, no excuse after devoting, if you want to vote early or you vote on election day. We're pushing turn out any way you wanted to. And in Georgia you can vote any way you want, no excuse. Affluently photo I d early voting or come out today, and I'd encourage all campaigns just to focus on I'll turn that to people. Today is a turnout race and we'll see who turns out the most people. Well,
it sure is. We've been hearing about turn out all day long, and I know that the weather has been a little bit of a challenge here. What can you tell us, Secretary about tonight. Do you expect this race to be called tonight? You've already been counting early votes. Well, we already we again the process of scanning but not actually tabulation of all the the early received absolute votes.
So that's already happened. All the early votes that we had last weekend, person, those have all been already scanned. It's easy, really quickly to press the tabulation. We'll get results up quickly, just like we did a month ago,
and we'll know where we are. We just don't know how close it is because the overseas military ballots, some of those could come in and be accepted up to friday, and then there was one lawsuit in Cobb County that accepted some of the absolute ballance up to friday also, So we'll just have to see how close it is. But the bulk of it we'll get posted up tonight. The closer it is, the longer we potentially wait exactly, but that's every voice will be heard, every vote will
be counted absolutely. I want to ask you about just the the prospect of runoff elections here. A lot has been made of the fact that This has has roots in Jim Crow. It was Georgia's governor Carl Sanders signed it a law shortly after the Civil Rights Act was passed, a law that that contained the majority vote runoff provision for all primary and general elections. It was it was aimed at the time, at least as I understand from my history, aimed at weakening the impact of the black vote.
But here we are Secretary in a world where we have two black candidates who are running to be the U. S. Senator the next U S Senator from the state of Georgia. Why even have these runoffs at this point? Do they matter anymore? Are they still? Are they still relevant? Well, we also had in our history that if you didn't get quite fifty or sent I got over, but you won that way. So the law has changed both way.
But in a democracy, people usually say the majority should rule and that means that you get fifty plus one. I've been in four runoffs over my political career, from city Council, of state House, the Secretary of State four years ago, so I support the fifty plus one. But is there something that we should look at. I believe that the General Sumbody should look at something isn't ranked voice voting, instant runoff or is it that forty five
plus one? But we should look at it because because we now have paper ballots and we also do risk them at the audits, it just creates an awful lot of burdens on the counties, you know, when you have to get that already plus star early voting for you know, a four week runoff period. So, uh, General Sumbody will have some work to do the next session, and I highly encourage them to look at all the different options. Do you have support in the General Assembly or their
lawmakers having the same conversation. Yeah, we're having those conversations. People really want to know figure out what is the best solution. Do we keep it as it is or do we need to look at instant rnalf Do we need to look at this forty five you know minimum?
But there'll be lots of other different options. I'm sure we'll be talked about, and that's why it goes through the committee process and I'll be in the House and the Senate doing that hard work in that forty day session of you know, figuring out how do we further improve. At the end of the day, we want everyone to know that your vote counts. It's gonna be safe, it's gonna be secure, it's gonna be accurate, and we're gonna actually audit this race. We're gonna do a wrisklement of
this race so we can verify the voters. Here's what the results were on the machines. Here's what they are after we did the hand count audit. This is incredibly important news that we're getting here, straight from the Secretary of State in Georgia, Brad Raffinsburger. I've got to ask
you if you still pay attention to Donald Trump's legal woes. Secretary, Uh, your history with Donald Trump is rather well known, and I wonder how could this impact a race in which he has made a major endorsement, knowing today that his company has been found guilty of tax fraud. Well, let's the first I heard of it. I have to work in an election, and I think when George had been focused on the election, so I think that will be
something people will talk about tomorrow whatever. But today I know that both candidates are focused on turning out their people, and we're working with the counties to make sure that everyone we keep those lines short, like I said, we have about two hours left to go, and we want to make sure that everyone that wants to vote gets out to vote. It's a very effective answer to that question, Secretary.
But I'll tell you, in light of Donald Trump's recent statements suggesting he might revoke the Constitution under some circumstances, do you feel vindicated in rejecting his efforts? In Oh, I always stood on the law. I followed the law, and I followed the Constitution. Plus I followed the facts and the facts where the President Trump did come off short, and I just had to respectfully let him know, you know, as best I could. You know, sir, this is what
the results are. And we did a on how to present hand recount of doubt, but that was Today is twenty twenty two. Today's a run off, and we just have to make sure that we finish up strong, keep those lines short, so both the voters, you know, both candidates know that this is what the results are. But we will do it on one how to percent risk of them audit of this race so that we can
verify the voters. Here's what the results were on the machines, Here's what the audit showed, and so people have confidence in the results, and I understand that half the people won't like those results and the other half will be you know, doing handstands. True. True, That's a great way to put it, Secretary, thank you, and uh when I know your life's about to get real busy round seven
o'clock tonight. Please let your elections workers know, your volunteers and those who actually are paid to do this how much we appreciate the work that they are doing today. And yet another historic runoff in Georgia. Thank you, Secretary State. Brad Raffinsburger with us on the fastest hour in politics. We gotta hear from the panel. Rick Davis and g. D. Schanzano are here our signature panel. It's happening. I hope
he doesn't go any further near the road. But Rick, what do you make of what you just heard there? In terms of the weather today, in terms of the need for turnout in this race, on both sides of this race, well, the key number that I heard was one point two million voted today about an hour as of an hour ago. Um his chief operating officer earlier today, Gabe Gabe Sterling had said he expected there to be
somewhere between one point one and one point three. So that's smart smack dab right in the middle of and uh and if that's the case, I think Warnings gonna win. Because we were looking at these numbers over the week, and with almost two million early votes, especially where those votes were coming from, we could analyze that Democrats might have had a pretty sizable league going into election day. And of course Republicans always turn out on election day.
But uh, you know, our calculations were that, you know, if if herschel Walker was gonna win, he was gonna need something close to one point six million, And so if they're three thousand votes short of that number, I would I would say that it's looking pretty good for
for warnox reelection. Fascinating stuff here, Genie. I was asked by a lot of people over the course of the day to day how much the candidates mattered in this race versus the D and the R. Knowing that the control largely control of the Senate at least in terms of the majority, has been settled. Here this this would add another seat, obviously if Democrats can keep it. Republicans want to maintain the status quote of the extent that
they can. Is that what people are deciding on or is it the individual here and the issues they stand on. You know, it's tough to say. We have to really see exit polls to know exactly what voters have in minds. But you know, we've seen the Republicans. We've seen Walker try to make this a referendum on Joe Biden. We've seen Warnock try to make it a choice on character and competence between him and Walker. And yet there's other
issues that we haven't talked a lot about. But early turnout numbers fifty six per son of that was women and abortion was a big issue in November eighth. It was the top issue for people who voted for Warnock and the second most important issue at in the exit polls. And one of the reason is because the Georgia Supreme Court voted to reinstate the six week ban. And so there's other outside issues, if you all, outside of party and outside of character and competence, that could play into
this turnout and into these votes. So I don't think we know the answer yet, but hopefully we'll be able to see some polls and see what people had in mind when they came out and another you know number that I would just throw out there is seventy five thousand people voted early this time around that didn't vote
on November eighth. That number sticks out enormously because it says other issues are on their minds that got them out this time for the runoff and not on November eight, Rick, do you think it's time to do away with the runoffs in Georgia? It sounds like the Secretary of State
is ready to get rid of it. It's not the only state that's got run off South Carolinas like that, some other but um, you know, I was really surprised by Secretary Rafsenburger's uh apparent interest in ranked choice voting. How about that they just did that in Alaska. I think people are still scratching their head trying to figure out how ranked choice voting works. Um, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes, you know, weeks to count. But at the end of the day, it sounds like they're looking for
an option to it. The fascinating part of the conversation here, We're gonna hear a lot more about that. And by the way, as we were spending time in front of the polling place today in Atlanta, the constantly owned Library. There was a group of demonstrators out there promoting ranked choice voting. So hang on, things change around here. More of the panel. Next, This is Bloomberg. This is Bloomberg
sond On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. With only a short time left, what about ninety minutes here until the polls closed in Georgia. We've gone through a lot already today, a lot of rain, a lot of fog, a lot of clouds. The rain's been pulling back a little bit here, so maybe we get a little afterwork pop. I think that's what both campaigns might be hoping for.
I'm Joe Matthew joining you live from Atlanta and a special edition of sound On that you can only get here on Bloomberg Radio, and of course our signature panels in place. What a perfect day to spend time with Genie Chanzano and Rick Davis. Genie, I want to get to something that you just mentioned here as we consider is it is that the personalities? Is that the issues? Is that the parties? Maybe it's a combination of the mall.
But I was struck by Senator Warnock this morning as he stood outside talking with supporters in one of his earlier events, and he struck the chord that you hit in our conversation a couple of minutes ago, reproductive rights. Listen to Senator Warnock. The people of Georgia deserve to have someone who understands the concerns of ordinary people and
who will just be present with them. President, with workers, present with farmers, who will listen to women knowing that they have listen to the understanding that you know, the women who were in these patients rooms tend to know more than the politicians who are mostly male. In Washington, people are saying thank you women who were holding Warnock signs, Jennie. How important I know this was difficult to quantify in
the general, at least going into it. How important is the row ruling going into this RAF It seems to be very important in several key states in Georgia is one of them. In Raphael Warnock and his team can read the exit polls the same way we can. Will you look at the exit polls from November eighth? What do we know? Young voters went for Warnock by like over sixty percent to thirt for Walker. He also obviously
overwhelmingly with the black vote and the female vote. And again, the issue of abortion was the most important issue on the minds of his supporters and second for voters overall. And so you couple that with the fact that that issue has played throughout this campaign as it pertains to his opponents both views of abortion and also what we are hearing reports from women he had relationships with about
paying for abortions. And so it's an issue that he keps coming keeps coming back to in the campaign for good reason. It plays and it resonates with his voters who want to ensure that it is protected at the federal level. We also heard Barack Obama talk about it
when he was down in Georgia. So what does that tell us Rick then that that this is an issue no matter what in a state like Georgia, or this is a herschel Walker problem because of the many stories of of his prior relationships and and and and accute, you know, the accusations that he he urged I'll use
the term at least two women to get abortions. Well, I would say that I think the fire around abortion in this election cycle, going back to the general election, was much higher than either Republicans or Democrats probably were willing to admit. I think Democrats sought as their key issue. Republicans were clearly focused more on crime and the economy.
Uh and and and so definitely abortion played strong. I think herschel Walker's conduct that issues around you know, his lifestyle and and the choices he's made recounted to us by other people UM, all of whom he's denied having these these these relationships with UM just was like gasoline on that fire. Right. So, so, there was nothing that herschel Walker did to build that fire. That was done by the Supreme Court in the summer that put this firmly as a as an issue for voters in this
general election. But herschel Walker's story around abortion has definitely added flame to that fire. Well, it's really something to watch this particular issue. Unfull genie. What else is there? You know? Rick mentioned crime? Uh, Inflation is something that herschel Walker has been referring to a lot. Let's listen to herschel Walker from earlier today on one of his rounds. I want to thank them for what they've done. Right now, we're gonna get out of win this election. Herschel Walker,
gonna be your senator. We're gonna get things change. But that's usually what you hear, not a not a deep dive into an issue. He'll mention things like high prices, riding bikes, gas guzzlers, vampires and werewolves. But then you get this kind of stuff. Is there enough? Is this a matter of substance? I guess is my question? Gene, Well, there are several substantive issues, and you know he is, you know, he's it's not unusual for somebody who's a challenger.
He doesn't have to defend a record, unlike his opponent, who has to defend his record. And who he is trying to say, is you know, voting for Joe Biden percent of the time, which he is. So he's trying to make this about Joe Biden, and he'll raise all those issues, but he doesn't have to, you know, defend any record, so he can, you know, merely mention these
issues everything from inflation and gas and immigration. And he's talked a lot about issues involving gender and athletics and all of these issues that do reservate, resonate with conservative voters that he wants to get out to the polls, and I would just say, you know, the conventional wisdom going into today has been that Democrats have the advantage. But it was very possible and still is for Walker
to catch up. You know, I agree with Rick, they needed probably closer to one point six one point seven million out today to get there. But the math is there, so conventional wisdom be damned, We've seen it before. He still could take this thing. It's going to be a close vote. Well, let's consider this for a moment here, Rick, because obviously the voting is not done and anything could happen here. How is herschel what what's the success story
for him? How is he picking people out of out of the suburbs, in many cases rural areas, white Republicans. How does he mobilize them today? Is that this check on Joe Biden? Is that what the message comes down to? Yeah, for sure, I think that, Uh, it's base Republicans turning
out because that's what they do, right. They want to support anybody with a GOP sticker on them, and and and they are fearful of you know, federal overreach sponsored by you know, Joe Biden and the Democratic leadership in Congress, I would say the one big disadvant image for herschel Walker is that it doesn't make a difference in the
control the Senate his election. If if there was one other race that had turned Republican and the story today was Republican control or not, I think that would have had a significantly different impact on turnout today. But he felt one race short of having that wind at his back about that, And yet people aren't walking around talking about a power sharing agreement and what this means for the committees in the Senate ge It just doesn't have
the mobilizing effect, does it. It does not, And that's the question, you are you really going to get out in the rain when it doesn't really matter to who's going to control the Senate? And so, you know, it's not really the check on Biden that conservatives may want. So as much as people like Obama and others, even Joe Biden have been talking about how important it is too Democrats and Republicans on the other side, it's a really hard in the Weeds case to make two people.
You know. The other thing I would just say is we have you know, sort of all of us have understd amiated Walker before I was just thinking back to his performance in the debate. He did far better than many people thought. He's performed better in the general election than a Loffler did last time around. So he is somebody who, despite all his flaws as his candidate and a campaigner, has performed better than many people expected. And so I really do think Democrats have to be very
careful about celebrating a bit too early. Now. I haven't seen that badge around for a while, I'll say that much. They were giving him out at the rallies for a minute. But speaking of law enforcement, you heard me ask Brad Raefensburg about this Donald Trump story. This is pretty big deal.
This would be our lead on any other day. Donald Trump's company found guilty of engaging in tax fraud over more than a decade, in which executives, including Alan Wiselberg, evaded taxes on company paige perks like free apartments, like luxury cars. Rick, you may have seen this coming. I don't know, but but it's it's hard to place this in the catalog of criminal cases against Donald Trump. How big of a deal is this? And will he just
appeal it? You know, we've been talking about all these cases all year I mean half a dozen major cases against Donald Trump, and I would say this is the least likely to do any damage to Donald Trump's political fortunes. Well, he he used to brag as president about cheating on his taxes, so, uh, if you know, believe what he told us, right, he cheated on his taxes. I mean,
this basically was the easiest way to do it. He he and his family will not have a specific prosecution, but it certainly reinforces what we know about Donald Trump, which is, you know, if he can circumvent the law in any way, he can um you know, he will.
I think today by the Justice Department of these subpoenas that they're issuing in Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin of officials you know, who are associated with the Trump campaign about conversations they were having with Donald Trump as it relates to the January six capital attack. I think that announcement is much more impactful to Donald Trump because that is a prosecution where Donald Trump himself be indicted. Fascinating, Uh, and yes, how true, this is the special counsel making
that move. How how would you uh, how would you analyze these genie that you know, people start to just laugh when you start talking about court cases against Donald Trump. Does this have any impact on his campaign? You know, I think it does. You know, I think it's this culminating effect of losing, losing losing. He lost the mid terms for Dempford Republicans. Rather he's losing court cases. Sure, it's not going to take down the Trump organization. It's
not enough money, it's not him personally. Now you couple that with the subpoenas that Rick was just mentioning. But also let's not forget the January six Committee announced today they are going to make criminal referrals to the Department of Justice. You've also got several other you know, investigations and lawsuits going forward. So to me, this does have an impact because one thing Donald Trump doesn't want to
be known as as a loser. He lost today and he may you know, keep losing, and that is a big problem for him. To make this case that he's gonna you know, win so much that will be sick of winning. His supporters have got to be thinking, yikes, you know, at what point did we start winning again? Because I haven't done it lately. Well, yeah, you can read about that on the terminal as well as Jennie mentions, Uh, the jan six Committee, we'll recommend criminal prosecution for people,
possibly including Donald Trump. We don't know this yet, over efforts to reverse the outcome of the election. Bennie Thompson was already going there. The chair Liz Cheney wasn't so sure about that. And it'll be very curious to see how all of this adds up in the end. Our signature panel continuing here on Bloomberg Sound On, Rick Davis and Jennie Chanzano with us. This is Bloomberg So Long with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. As the world watches
Georgia for the way forward in Washington. Welcome to Bloomberg Sound Honest US an edition live from Atlanta on this run off election day as we try to bring you a range of voices from across the state to help frame this contest. That's our job, this contest and what it will bring. And we're joined out by Georgia's former governor, Roy Barnes. Governor, Welcome to Bloomberg. It's great to have you. Well. Thank you. You were the most recent Democrat to serve
in the Governor's mansion here in Georgia. Knowing that Republicans won every statewide race but one last month, Why is this Senate race different? Well, there's several reasons is different. Warnockfield Ruffiel. Warnock is one of is an extraordinary candidate and herschel Walker, uh is not that great a candidate, may be the worst I've ever seen. And so that is, uh, one of the main reasons candidates do matter. And where Warnock has been talking about messages of messages of health
care and controlling insulin costum trade and other things like that. Uh, We're still waiting to see what herschel Walker would do if he went to the United States Senate. And lastly, we had uh, some crossover votes. About two hundred thousand Republicans voted for Warnock as they voted for Brian Kemp our incumbent governors. So all of those things I believe will make this a different outcome. I'm assuming that that you're going to tell me Senator Warnock wins this runoff.
Here he did win. We should know the general by thirty seven thousand votes, but of course the runoff has triggered either way. You're suggesting then that it is candidate quality, it's it's it's less about issues, less about the balance of power in Washington. No, I think it's a dumb think it's about the balance of power, definitely, But I do think that it's about Uh, there are some issues, and like I said, Warnock is no one's talking about hard issues. Uh, and Warnock is income. I think you
always have some uh you know, push from incumbency. I think Warnock wins between three and five points. Okay, they call it tonight or we have to wait till tomorrow, you'll call it tonight. Uh. There was we had a heavy early turnout, you know, one point eight me and that's just unreal. I was electric governor in with less than a million votes. I showed how much the state state has grown. But you've got you've only got this one race, and uh, the early votes should be prepped,
ready for scanning as soon as the polls. Indeed, So what's happening beneath our feet here? You're you're talking to a Yankee who came down to cover this race in Georgia Governor. I keep hearing George is a purple state. I keep hearing that Stacy Abrams reinvented the architecture here for Democrats, but it's also looking pretty red when you look at the results from last month. It is, and
it's not purple yet. I would call it a lighter shade of reread it's it's it's not purple, it's it's it's not pink, but it is a lighter shade of red. And I think that the trend that is in is to make it a purple state. And I think that happens in the next four years, four to six years. I think that happens. And the main reason is the Atlanta region is such a growth region and it attracts people from all over the country and a lot of those people are younger UM. And what's happened is it's
primary earlier because of Donald Trump. UM, highly educated, college educated women. We're fearful of Trump and he's they've he almost single handling, has moved them to the Democratic side, or at least to the independent where you can you can get them to, you can persuade them. And so that's the reason that it makes Georgia uh in play nationally, and it will it will take a little longer time,
but it'll make Democrats statewide in play again. It goes back to Canada quality and issues and people that think that you can just depend on demographic trends and party identification. They're wrong. And the most important people in Georgia right now are the ten to twelve that labeled themselves independent and that they and go either way. That's when these two campaigns are chasing. Certainly, I'm assuming in your time,
Roy Barnes as governor, you met herschel Walker. Going back to your time, he was a huge star right as as a as a celebrity athlete. What did you make of him in person? Well, I met him, and of course I'm graduate of the University of Glids. I love herschel as football player. I'm concerned at that and being a United States Senator. He's a personable guy. Uh and uh, but he's just not He's not been here for twenty
five years. I mean, you know, he moved to Texas and we haven't seen him on a regular basis for twenty five years. And then you know, last year he comes up and he says you're gonna run for the United States Senate, pushed by Donald Trump, and none of that has helped. Governor. I know you were ahead of your time when you took executive action to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the Georgia state flag. It was considered very controversial that and of course we've seen Domino's
fall ever since. Is it time now to end the runoff election system? As as some remember that it was created to suppress the black vote. Absolutely, and particularly in the general election. There ought to be a you know, a a floor. H North Carolina has a pretty good system. They say that you have to get at least in the primary, and I think it's forty five percent in the general to avoid a runoff. But it's time. There's
no question. The runoff system was put in intree and sixty four, uh, to suppress the black vote, to keep it from as they called it back then, the block vote African American vote from controlling elections. But listen, we're way paced there. And uh, it's so a relic like the Confederate flag that should be done away. Well, I guess it didn't work though. Right here we are in you've got two black nominees vying for a seat in
the United States Senate. Well that's true. Uh, it is true, but it's still there, and it generally suppresses votes and what happens is you can get folks to come back out if you spend a hundred million dollars to get them out. But where it hurts is in the dawn ballot races that people forget about and you let a very small minority come back to the polls and runoff and act and become the majority. That's where it hurts.
Probably in these high stakes, high dollar races, it doesn't have an effect, but it does on the lower, lower ballot races. Farmer Georgia Governor Roy Barnes in a fascinating conversation, Governor, I'm told I talk a lot, That's what I do for a living. But if I had your accent, I just keep talking and talking and listening to my voice. Thank you for your insights. We'll reassemble the panel next on this runoff election day. This is Bloomberg. This is Bloomberg.
Sound on with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. If you happen to be listening to us in Georgia and you haven't voted yet, you know what you gotta do. Right, come on, We're talking about this while you're waiting in line. But you still have to finish the job, and we'll be bringing your results later on this evening Daybreak Asia. But I don't know, maybe tomorrow Daybreak Asia. That's the
thing we don't know. As we heard from the Secretary of State himself, Brad Ravensburger, although Roy Barnes there, I'll tell you what the former governor. He says, we get a call tonight and we've heard that for more and more people just comes down to turn out. As we spend a couple of remaining moments here in some final thoughts with our panel, we have to turn to what happened today in Washington. Of course, the outcome of this runoff election is going to send somebody to Washington, d C.
To represent the state of Georgia. And there was an important ceremony today, Congressional Gold Medal Awards ceremony at which Capitol Police members who were working and in uniform and in many cases fighting for their lives on January six, we're honored and it was a dramatic moment. The family of Officer Brian sick Nick, who of course died after being injured in the attack, refused to shake the hand of Senator Mitch McConnell. They went by one by one
by one, big double handshake with Chuck Schumer. This is like a reception line. If you will write, you get up to get the metal. Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer in this order, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, every one of them. McConnell stuck his hand out and no one shook it, refused to shake the hand of Senator Mitch McConnell, of course, criticized for not denouncing President Trump at the time for his role in the insurrection. And there's not a lot
of love lost there. He doesn't like Trump. Trump doesn't like him. But this spilled into the hallway later. We all saw the visuals, you know, and I wanted to hear from someone like Mitch McConnell. He was asked about it in the corridors following the snub. Here's the minority leader. Yeah, I would respond by saying, today we gave the gold medal to the heroes of January six. We admire and respect them. They laid their lives on the line, and that's why we gave a gold medal today to the
heroes of January six. That was it. Gladys sick Nick, the mother of Officers. Sick Nick was asked by CNN why she did not shake McCarthy's hand or McConnell's hand. They're just two faced, she said. Rick Davis and Geennie Chanzano with us. Was this a good moment in Washington, Rick, or was this a troubled moment? Well, it's troubled because the reason that everybody was gathered there is a good moment, because there was a overwhelming recognition of the service and
sacrifice that these individuals and families made. McConnell deserve that. You know, it's tough. Um, yes, he called January six of violent insurrection at the time. Um, but he did you know, he voted against the Trump impeachment. You know, he voted against the January six committee formation. So look, I mean, all these guys know when they make a vote, there making some people happy, and they're making some people upset.
And and and I would say it's it's a little bit sad that, um, that that we we saw this kind of event today overall, But um, you know, I think it should make Mitch McConnell and and and and McCarthy think about what their relationship has been for the last five years with Donald Trump. Yeah, yeah, it's not just miss McConnell here, Jennie. Kevin McCarthy never looked so uncomfortable I think in his life as he stood there with the medal, and I mean they wouldn't even look
at him, never mind shake his hand. Was it deserved? You know it was. These are leaders of a party of which twenty one of their members in the House refused to vote in favor of giving these police officers these gold medals, these congressional medals. These are the leaders of the party. You have people like Willie Gohmer who goes to meet this uh, this Dr Simone Gold after she's released from prison she was at January six. He calls her a political prisoner and gives her a flag
that flew over the Capitol. This is the party they lead and they have to be responsible for that, and rightly so. A lot of lessons to be learned around here. With the help of Rick and Genie, we can understand that. Let's meet back here tomorrow we talk results and if you haven't voted yet, get to it live from Atlanta. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomer