MORROW, Ga. -- Runoffs in Georgia historically have favored Republicans, but a strong early voting turnout has eased worries among Democratic leaders that voters would not be motivated to turn out again for Sen. Raphael Warnock.
In Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff, it can hardly be overstated how much Democratic voters -- and others -- are driven by not wanting Republican challenger Herschel Walker to be their U.S. senator.
Among Warnock's voters, criticism of Walker is often the first that comes tumbling out when they're asked about the election.
"You've got a very ignorant, ignorant, ignorant fellow that's running in Herschel Walker," said Dennis Paris, an entertainer who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Jonesboro and voted for Warnock last week in Morrow. "I can't see going through another thing like we had with an ignorant Trump making decisions for us, not caring about the people."
In speeches and ads, Warnock and other Democrats have been playing up their portrait of a badly unqualified Walker who could disgrace their state.
Democratic voters frequently say they believe Walker is in over his head, lured into the race by former President Donald Trump or other Republicans who are relying on Walker's football celebrity to snag a Senate seat for the GOP.
"I just feel like he's a pawn, like they said 'Let's get Herschel in so we can get the seat,'" said Sherri Gates of Morrow. "I just don't feel like he is qualified."
Gates describes herself as a firm Democrat who supports Warnock, pastor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s former church, because "for one thing, he's a decent human being."
"I do not want Herschel to represent me and my state," she said. "He just doesn't appear to be a good representative of anybody."
Walker argues that it is Warnock who does not know what he is doing by backing Biden so much.
Even many Georgia Republicans who are voting for Walker, a former pro football player, say they are not so much motivated by liking him as by disliking President Joe Biden's administration and Warnock's support for Biden's policies.
Tom Glass, a software engineer who voted Thursday for Walker in Marietta, said he reluctantly chose the Republican.
He backs Walker, he said, because he wants change in Washington, but he acknowledged, "I know all of the stuff that is said about him, and a good bit of it is actually true."
Glass said he thinks the election matters less because Democrats already control the Senate, but he chose Walker anyway. "Is he the answer? No, but I don't think Warnock is the answer."
John McCombs of Riverdale said he voted for Walker simply because "I feel the nation is heading in the wrong direction."
"I hope he can stop some of the policies that have taken our nation down the wrong path," the information technology worker said, citing particular concern over "spending money we don't have."
VOTER TURNOUT
A heavy election day turnout by GOP voters could still push Walker to victory as Republicans won every other statewide Georgia race last month. However, distaste for Walker appears to be buoying Democratic enthusiasm.
Some party leaders had feared their voters would not be motivated to turn out again for Warnock after the Democrats secured two more years of Senate control with victories in other states.
There were 2.5 million early voters in the general election when statewide early voting was held on 17 days. The law scheduled runoff day four weeks after the general election, a change from the nine-week gap in previous runoffs.
On Friday, long lines of resilient voters wrapped around libraries and government buildings into the night. But while turnout set daily records last week, including a high of 353,000 voters Friday, an abbreviated early voting period resulted in fewer votes than before last month's election.
The large number of election day voting locations Tuesday -- over 2,400 across Georgia -- could prevent long lines unless voters overwhelm their local precincts. Voting went smoothy last month, with 1.5 million voters on election day and a total turnout of nearly 4 million.
According to state voting data compiled by Ryan Anderson, an independent analyst in Atlanta, three of the state's five Democrat-held congressional districts had already seen advance turnout through Thursday of at least 61% of the total early vote for the November election. None of Georgia's nine Republican-held congressional districts had eclipsed that mark.
In the last Senate runoffs two years ago, 4.5 million people participated compared to 5 million in the presidential election.
The quick runoff left little time for voters to receive and return absentee ballots, which will be counted if they are delivered to county election offices before polls close Tuesday. Over 136,000 absentee ballots have been returned so far, and 82,000 ballots are still pending.
While no ballots have been counted yet, more people have voted in counties that supported Warnock than Walker, according to state election data. But Republicans outnumbered Democrats on election day in last month's election.
During the general election, Warnock won 54% of early and absentee votes, while Walker received 56% of election-day votes.
Information for this article was contributed by Jeff Amy of The Associated Press and by Mark Niesse of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS).
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Herschel Walker takes photos with supporters during a campaign rally Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, in Greensboro, Ga. Walker is in a runoff election with incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
This combination of photos shows, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 3, 2021, left, and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaking in Perry, Ga., Sept. 25, 2021. Georgia voters have cast more than 1 million ballots ahead of the Dec. 6 runoff between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. (AP Photo)
Former President Barack Obama, left, greets Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., right, before Obama speaks during a rally on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Atlanta. Warnock is running against Republican Herschel Walker in a runoff election. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., speaks during a rally on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Atlanta. Warnock is running against Republican Herschel Walker in a runoff election.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Herschel Walker speaks during a campaign rally Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, in Greensboro, Ga. Walker is in a runoff election with incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)