Loeffler repeatedly dodges questions about winner of White House race

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) on Wednesday dodged several questions about who won the presidential election while being pressed by reporters.

“I’m focused on winning this race on Jan. 5,” Loeffler said when asked whether she would follow Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in calling President-elect Joe Biden to congratulate him on his Electoral College win. Electors met Monday and voted Biden as president-elect. 

Loeffler faces a runoff election on Jan. 5 to retain her Senate seat, and is counting on turnout from GOP voters and Trump supporters to win her race.

 Loeffler then turned the question to negotiations on a coronavirus relief bill before another reporter asked if she would acknowledge Biden as the election’s winner.

“Look, the president has a right to every legal recourse. That’s what’s playing out right now. I’m focused on winning this race on Jan. 5,” Loeffler said, before making remarks about talking to voters.

In this 2m clip ⁦@KLoeffler⁩ is asked about Biden’s win six different times.
She refuses to directly answer even one of the very specific questions.
This is a small sample of the full presser where she refused to answer several simple questions.
(Examples on this thread) pic.twitter.com/vRSXqAWO39

— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) December 16, 2020

When the reporter pressed again on the question, Loeffler reiterated that her focus was “on winning this race right now.”

“It’s vitally important that Georgians understand the American dream is on the ballot … my focus is on making sure that Georgians have someone in Washington that will work for them, that will be their voice and make sure that we deliver relief right now, during this pandemic,” she said. 

Loeffler is running against Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock in the runoff after neither secured more than 50 percent of the votes on Nov. 3. 

A poll from Emerson College released Wednesday showed Loeffler and fellow Republican Sen. David Perdue (Ga.) holding 51 percent to 48 percent advantages over Warnock and Jon Ossoff (D), respectively.

The Perdue-Ossoff contest is also on Jan. 5. Democrats must win both races to win the Senate majority. Such a result would leave a 50-50 majority, leaving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to break ties.

Trump has refused to concede his loss to Biden, but his arguments in court that widespread fraud led to his loss have been rejected.

Republicans have worried Trump’s complaints about the process could depress the GOP vote, and it’s likely Loeffler does not want to say anything that might lead Trump supporters to not show up to vote for her.

Democrats, however, have seized on her remarks for advantage.

During an appearance on “The View,” Warnock said it was “unapologetic” and “un-American” for Loeffler to not acknowledge Biden’s win.  

“Well, Kelly Loeffler is consistent. She’s always focused on what’s good for her,” Warnock said. “And she’s demonstrated now that she’s willing to wage war against the voices of the very people that she’s supposed to be representing.”

Senate candidate @ReverendWarnock says his opponent Sen. Kelly Loeffler refusing to acknowledge Trump’s loss is “undemocratic” and “un-American”: “I’m not going to sit idly by while anybody undermines our democratic rights, including Kelly Loeffler.” https://t.co/djlSkksFZn pic.twitter.com/hDHTSfnyi0

— The View (@TheView) December 17, 2020

Early voting in the Georgia Senate runoff began Monday and more than 200,000 ballots have already been cast.

The Hill has reached out to Loeffler’s office for comment.