John —

With just one seat left to be decided, Democrats have secured at least a 50-seat majority in the United States Senate heading into 2023.

But that last seat matters… A LOT.

On December 6th, Georgia voters will head to the polls for a runoff to decide whether to re-elect Senator Raphael Warnock and give Democrats an expanded 51-49 majority in the Senate. There are so many reasons why this race matters to all of us, and we wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few of them for you. But before we do: Can you chip in to power WFP’s get-out-the-vote program in Georgia? Every last seat in the Senate matters — and every last vote to re-elect Raphael Warnock on December 6th will matter too.

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Here are five reasons why winning a 51st Senate seat is absolutely critical:

1. Weakening the leverage of corporate Democrats.
   With a majority of only 50 seats, every single Democratic senator gets to have a veto on any legislation. Over the last two years, Senators like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have used their leverage to obstruct the priorities of working people and President Biden’s entire agenda on behalf of their corporate donors. Adding to the Democratic majority makes it less likely they will be able to do so in the future.


2. More power in Senate committees.
   Senate Democrats have had control for the last two years despite holding only 50 seats because Vice President Harris serves as the tie-breaking vote. But that relies on a power-sharing agreement with Republicans that, among other provisions, gives them equal numbers on committees. Growing the majority to 51-49 would allow Democrats to have actual majorities on Senate committees, which means they would have subpoena power, the power to pursue oversight of things like the January 6th insurrection, and faster confirmations of judges and other nominees.


3. Historically speaking, 50/50 majorities are uncommon — and unstable.
   The current Senate is the fourth 50/50 split in history, and already the longest-lasting one. In 2001, the Republican 50/50 majority came to an abrupt end after five months when a Republican senator switched parties. It’s not uncommon for a senator to be out of office, but even one senator taking a sick day right now means important votes might not pass. A 51-49 majority would mean votes could pass even with two Democratic absences, and would provide a buffer in the case of unexpected events.


4. Every Senate seat matters. Always.
   Unlike members of the House of Representatives, senators are elected to 6-year terms. That’s three full election cycles. In previous years, Democrats have failed to win closely contested races for Senate, putting them at even more of a disadvantage than they already were in an institution that allocates as many seats to low-population, largely rural states as it does to high-population ones. This seat matters just not for the next two years, but for years and years to come — including in 2024 when Democrats will face a much more challenging senate map.


5. Herschel Walker... really?
   Herschel Walker is a uniquely unqualified candidate for office. He has a history of violence against women. He supports a national ban on abortion for everyone — except the privileged few like himself and his partners. If it wasn’t for his support for the MAGA right wing agenda and his promise to deliver for his corporate donors, he wouldn’t be anywhere close to the senate. We can’t allow him to win.

All of this is why we are asking for your help to reach and mobilize every voter in Georgia from now until December 6th. Will you make a $4 donation today to help us get out the vote on the ground in Georgia?

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In solidarity,

Working Families Party

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