Washington — President-elect Joe Biden is set to make his first return to the campaign trail since winning the presidency last month, with plans to head to Georgia next week to campaign for Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock ahead of the January 5 runoff elections.
Mr. Biden will travel to Atlanta to stump for Ossoff and Warnock on Tuesday, his campaign announced. Ossoff is seeking to unseat Republican incumbent David Perdue in the contest, while Warnock is running against GOP incumbent Kelly Loeffler.
The outcome of the pair of runoff elections for Georgia’s two Senate seats could be crucial to the success of Mr. Biden’s agenda and confirmation of his Cabinet nominees, as the races will determine which party controls the upper chamber. The breakdown of the Senate following November’s general election is 50 Republicans, 46 Democrats and two independents who vote with the Democrats. If Ossoff and Warnock are victorious, the Senate will be split 50-50, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.
Mr. Biden bested President Trump in Georgia, marking the first time a Democrat has won the state since 1992, and the state’s election results were certified last month. The president made his own appearance in the Peach State on behalf of Perdue and Loeffler on Saturday, hosting a rally in Valdosta.
During his remarks, the president falsely claimed he won Georgia and accused Democrats of rigging the presidential election against him.
While Mr. Trump and his allies have filed numerous lawsuits raising allegations of voter fraud and attempting to overturn the results of the November election, the vast majority have been tossed out by federal and state judges.