David Perdue lost re-election to Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in Georgia’s Senate runoff election on January 5, with Ossoff winning by just over 93,000 votes (2%). It now seems that Perdue is considering a 2022 Senate run against Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who beat Kelly Loeffler in Georgia’s special election.
According to Fox News, Perdue filed Federal Election Commission (FEC) paperwork on Monday evening “to become a candidate to run for Senate in 2022.” The paperwork designated a “principal campaign committee,” titled “Perdue for Senate.”
Warnock defeated Loeffler — who was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on December 4, 2019, after Johnny Isakson announced his resignation for health reasons — on January 5, also by just over 93,000 votes.
“Perdue has not formally announced his candidacy for 2022, but the filing of paperwork on Monday is a key step in that direction, a source familiar told Fox News, saying the former senator will be making a final decision in the weeks ahead,” reported Fox News.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), “A senior Perdue adviser characterized the filing as a necessary legal step, but added that the former senator is ‘leaning heavily toward’ running again. If Perdue runs, the adviser said, he will decide by March 1, put together a campaign team and announce in April.”
“Another person close to Perdue said the former senator was ‘keeping the powder dry and all options open’ if he decides to pull the trigger,” the AJC report added.
Other candidates being discussed as Republican candidates for Georgia’s 2022 Senate race include UGA Heisman Trophy winner and National Championship football player Herschel Walker — who endorsed Loeffler during the US Senate primary race — and former Rep. Doug Collins — who competed with Loeffler for Republican votes in November 3rd’s election.
After Warnock and Ossoff won their runoff elections, the Democrats were handed effective control of the U.S. Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris holding a tie-breaking vote. It was also the first time a Democrat had won a Georgia Senate seat since Max Cleland in 1996.