Ossoff warns McConnell would cause paralysis in federal government if GOP holds Senate

Democratic Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff warned on Sunday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would cause paralysis in the federal government if Republicans hold on to the Senate. 

Ossoff, who will face Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) in the Jan. 5 runoff, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that President-elect Joe Biden’s administration needs “the capacity … to govern in the midst of a crisis.”

{mosads}The Democratic candidate argued that a GOP-led Senate would not allow the federal government to function, which he stressed is needed during the coronavirus pandemic. 

“We all know what’s going to happen if McConnell holds the Senate,” he said. “He will try to do to Biden and [Vice President-elect Kamala] Harris just like he tried to do to President Obama.”

“It will be paralysis, partisan trench warfare, obstructionism as far as the eye can see at a moment of crisis when we need strong action,” he added. 

Ossoff is one of two Democratic candidates attempting to unseat Georgia’s two incumbent Republican senators. CNN’s Dana Bash noted that Perdue declined to appear on “State of the Union.”

The two elections were sent to runoffs after no candidate received 50 percent of the vote in either race.

In the other race, the Rev. Raphael Warnock is taking on Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.). If either Republican wins, the Senate will remain in GOP control.

During Ossoff’s interview, Bash also mentioned that the last Georgia Senate runoff race in 2008 resulted in the Democratic candidate getting “barely half as many votes” as in November. But Ossoff expressed confidence ahead of the January election. 

“A lot has happened in Georgia in 12 years, an extraordinary movement to register voters, to mobilize communities, to train volunteers to get out the vote,” he said.