ATLANTA — The Atlanta Press Club is hosting the Loudermilk-Young Debate Series was held Sunday night in advance of the pivotal January Senate runoffs.
The press club partnered with Georgia Public Broadcasting to present the debates.
First up, at 5 p.m., was the debate between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican David Perdue. However, Perdue was not in attendance having declined to participate in any debates leading to the Jan. 5 runoff with Ossoff.
In a statement to 11Alive last month, Ossoff said Perdue was "too much of a coward to defend his record in a public debate." A Perdue spokesman said there was no need for another debate because Ossoff "lied repeatedly" in previous meetings.
Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Democrat Raphael Warnock debated at 7 p.m.
Watch the debates below
The debates were broadcast live on GPB-TV. They were also streamed on 11Alive.com and the 11Alive YouTube channel. They were also available live or on-demand on GPB.org and The Atlanta Press Club Facebook page.
“In a year when the election of Georgia’s two Senators will determine control of the U.S. Senate, it is vital that voters have this opportunity to hear from all the candidates,” said Atlanta Press Club Chair Marylynn Ryan. “These debates are an important public service that the Atlanta Press Club is proud to offer to Georgians.”
A SurveyUSA Poll commissioned exclusively by 11Alive shows that the candidates are in tight, competitive races.
The poll indicates that Perdue and Ossoff are effectively even. The poll shows Ossoff at 50 percent, nominally 2 points ahead of Perdue, at 48 percent.
In the other race, Warnock has a small but measurable advantage over Loeffler, 52 percent to 45 percent.
All eyes are on the Peach State. The balance of power in the United States Senate will depend entirely on the outcome of these two races, prompting a huge wave of money and organizing effort. If the GOP wants to retain its power, they must win both seats.