Jon Ossoff vs. Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.)
The Rev. Raphael Warnock and Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) do not have a monopoly on contentious United States Senate battles from the Peach State.
Jon Ossoff and Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) will also battle for a U.S. Senate seat during the Georgia runoff election on Jan. 5.
No matter how the two Senate runoffs play out in Georgia, in a move reminiscent to President Barack Obama in November 2008, Ossoff has already declared that, “change has come to Georgia.”
The once reliably red state has turned purple with the close runoffs for Senate and the fact that President-elect Joe Biden won the presidential race in Georgia.
However, the Republicans of Georgia believe that electing Democrats to the U.S. Senate would take Washington too far left with Loeffler, along with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), declaring that “radical elements” would take over the nation’s capital if Ossoff is able to enact the change that he is talking about.
But sound bites do not make an election.
Where candidates stand on the issues determines election outcomes.
Therefore, RegalMag.com looks at Ossoff and Perdue’s platform so that readers will have an informed opinion when they enter the election booths for the January runoff.
Ossoff and his wife Alisha Ossoff both grew up in Atlanta.
She works as an OB/GYN physician.
On the other hand, Ossoff is a media executive, investigative journalist, as well as a small business owner.
“Since 2013, Jon has served as the CEO of Insight TWI, a now 30-year-old media production company that investigates corruption, organized crime, and war crimes for international news organizations,” according to his official campaign website, ElectJon.com.
Ossoff said, “I am fighting for great health care for every American with a strong Public Option and strengthened Affordable Care Act, to defend Medicare and Social Security, for historic investment in clean energy and infrastructure to lower taxes for working families and small businesses, to defend Roe v. Wade and the privacy of women’s health care, to enact major criminal justice reform, to get dark money out of politics and end Citizens United.”
The aspiring senator’s experience as an investigative journalist has had some impact on his views on abortion.
His investigative work has uncovered unqualified and unregulated abortion clinics in areas where legal abortion clinics do not exist.
Ossoff believes that such unregulated abortion clinics leads to thousands of deaths.
He considers himself pro-choice and will only vote for potential Supreme Court justices who will uphold Roe v. Wade.
Recently, the Senate confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the United States Supreme Court, creating a 6-3 advantage for conservative justices.
During President Donald Trump’s one term in the White House, he appointed three Supreme Court justices.
Many pro-choice activists believe that the 6-3 conservative majority will put Roe v. Wade in jeopardy.
If elected to the U.S. Senate, Ossoff will make Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) a priority.
According to ElectJon.com, “HBCUs are vital ladders to opportunity for Black Americans—and these institutions train leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, doctors, theologians, and academics who make vital contributions to American society.
“At the strategic level, HBCUs need and deserve deepened long-term public investment. Following a series of meetings with administrators, faculty, and alumni leaders this summer, it is clear these long-term policy priorities must include: tuition affordability, facilities & technology, endowment growth, Morris Brown accreditation, program expansion in vital fields to train STEM professionals, health care workers, and educators.”
Ossoff also supports gun safety reform.
The media executive supports the Second Amendment, which gives Americans the right to bear arms.
However, he said he stands with the majority of Georgians who support gun reform laws that reduce injuries and deaths caused by unnecessary gun violence.
Ossoff wants universal criminal history background checks when purchasing guns, red flag laws to warn family members, domestic partners and friends of a person’s possible criminal background.
Perdue, the incumbent senator from Georgia, labels himself as “the original outsider.”
He has over 40 years of experience in business, leading some of the country’s most recognizable companies like Reebok and Sara Lee.
Born in Macon, Ga., and raised in Warner Robbins, Ga., Perdue grew up in the 1960s, the son of schoolteacher parents.
He graduated from Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
On healthcare, Perdue disagrees with critics who believe that he does not support providing insurance for people with preexisting conditions or that Republicans want to take away people’s healthcare during a global pandemic.
However, he does not support the Affordable Care Act.
According to PerdueSenate.com, “David stands against Obamacare and any form of government-run healthcare. The burdensome requirements within Obamacare have caused healthcare costs to skyrocket for millions of Americans. As a former fortune 500 CEO, he understands that competition in the healthcare marketplace is the best way to make high-quality healthcare plans affordable for all Americans.”
On criminal justice reform, Perdue believes in law and order.
He believes most police officers do their jobs admirably.
But he still believes that police reform and criminal reform are needed.
Perdue said, “I oppose the lawless defund the police movement and will continue to fight to ensure law enforcement has the resources they need to keep our communities safe.
“I’ve cosponsored the JUSTICE ACT to ensure police are representative of the community they serve, provide more de-escalation training to officers, equip more officers with body cams, and create a database for police misconduct offenses.
“I’m a strong supporter of the First Step Act which removes mandatory minimums for first-time, nonviolent drug offenders.”
Perdue’s website does not discuss a plan for HBCUs.
However, he believes in school choice because he does not believe a child’s zip code should determine the quality of their schooling.
