'Great night for America': Atlanta residents praise voter turnout at Georgia runoff vote

Record ID: 1701291

  • Title: 'Great night for America': Atlanta residents praise voter turnout at Georgia runoff vote
  • Date: 7th December 2022
  • Summary: ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 7, 2022) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATLANTA, GEORGIA, RESIDENT, ANNIE (LAST NAME WITHHELD), SAYING: "I think it's wonderful to see how Atlanta and the state of Georgia came together and really went out to vote, and that there was that spirit that your vote can make a difference." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATLANTA, GEORGIA, RESIDENT, JORDAN NASH, SAYING: "I'm just happy that Warnock won. I'm happy that everybody came back out for the runoff, so that was great." JOURNALIST: "Why do you like Warnock?" NASH: "I just think he's a better candidate for Georgia. He has more experience, and I think he's far more prepared to actually sit in that position than the other candidate was." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATLANTA, GEORGIA, RESIDENT, DONNA BURCHFIELD, SAYING: "What I think about what happened last night is that it was a great night for America because Georgia had record turnout. And it's very important to me as a former government teacher and a retired lawyer, to have huge participation in elections. I'm happy that Raphael Warnock won, but I'm very happy that that many people went out to vote." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATLANTA, GEORGIA, RESIDENT, DONNA BURCHFIELD, SAYING: "I voted for Raphael Warnock because I believe in a lot of things he supports. And it was very much an anti-Trump vote." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE)(English) ATLANTA, GEORGIA, RESIDENT, MIKE STOKES, SAYING: "I mean, I guess to the victor goes the spoils. The best person won. People spoke. They deemed Warnock worthy and I guess not Herschel Walker. So I guess that's the best I can describe it, that I guess the right person won't based on the outcome of the people."
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2022 15:32
  • Keywords: Atlanta Georgia Raphael Warnock Walker elections
  • Location: ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES
  • City: ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: US
  • Topics: North America,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001510207122022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A day after a runoff vote in Georgia sent Democrat Raphael Warnock back to the U.S. Senate, residents in Atlanta applauded the huge voter turnout in the state.
    "There was that spirit that your vote can make a difference," said Atlanta resident Annie.
    Warnock's victory against his Republican rival, former football star Herschel Walker strengthened his party's razor-thin majority in the U.S Senate and established Georgia as a battleground state certain to play a prominent role in the 2024 presidential election. Walker's defeat is also a setback for Donald Trump as he seeks the Republican nomination to run for the White House again in 2024. The former president endorsed Walker and dozens of other high-profile Republicans in this year's midterm elections, but he ends with a mixed record in his most competitive contests.
    ""I voted for Raphael Warnock because I believe in a lot of things he supports. And it was very much an anti-Trump vote," said Atlanta resident Donna Burchfield.
    The contest went to a runoff after neither candidate secured 50% of the vote on Nov. 8.
    Warnock's victory was powered by a strong showing in urban and suburban counties, including Atlanta's Fulton County, where the incumbent Democrat was winning 77% of the vote - a higher share than he won in November.
    (Production: Aleksandra Michalska, Pavithra George)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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