Republican strategist Andy Surabian, who serves as an adviser to Trump Jr., announced to Politico on Monday that he and his fellow consultants are rolling out a Georgia-based super PAC to squelch US election apathy ahead of the January 5 runoff Senate races.
“There is a critical role that must be played in both Georgia Senate runoffs: turning out the Trump vote. We know from past midterms and special elections that the Trump voter is not guaranteed to every Republican candidate, which is why it’s vital to directly engage these voters and not take them for granted,” Surabian stated. “To that end, we are launching an aggressive campaign in support of the two Republican candidates, focused on energizing and turning out Trump supporters, using television, radio and digital ads featuring Donald Trump Jr."
The state’s runoff elections came about after sitting Sens. David Perdue (R-GA) and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) both failed to reach the necessary 50% threshold of votes to win their November 3 contests. Loeffler and Perdue are facing Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, respectively.
Senior Republican leadership has recently expressed concern over the US president’s persistent allegations of voter fraud in Georgia, Politico reported. The GOP politicians fear Trump’s rhetoric, and certified state loss to Democratic challenger Joe Biden, could result in his base skipping out on the January 5 runoff.
Meanwhile, the US president recently revealed he would be making a trip down south on Saturday to hold a rally in support of Loeffler and Perdue.
“[W]e must get out and help [Perdue] and [Loeffler], two GREAT people,” he tweeted Friday. “Otherwise we are playing right into the hands of some very sick people.”
The White House later clarified the event is slated to take place on December 5, rather than November 28.
No, the 2020 Election was a total scam, we won by a lot (and will hopefully turn over the fraudulent result), but we must get out and help David and Kelly, two GREAT people. Otherwise we are playing right into the hands of some very sick people. I will be in Georgia on Saturday! https://t.co/1ziqFq9S6O
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2020
Loeffler's husband, Jeffrey Craig Sprecher - the founder, chairman and CEO of the Intercontinental Exchange and chairman of the New York Stock Exchange - notably contributed $1 million to pro-Trump super PAC America First Action in April, according to Federal Election Commission filing.
The Daily Beast noted this was the stock exchange executive's largest financial contribution to a federal election campaign. It also came weeks after the couple was publicly criticized in the press for alleged misconduct.
Sputnik reported in March that Loeffler and Sprecher, who wed 2004, were facing accusations of insider trading after they posted the first of several joint-stock sales on January 24 - the same day members on the Senate Health Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee were briefed by Trump administration health officials on the seriousness of the impending COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple reportedly carried out a collective 29 stock transactions through mid-February. The sales amounted to seven figures, and only two of the joint transactions were purchases.
As confirmed in the periodic transaction report to Senate Ethics, I was informed of these purchases and sales on February 16, 2020 — three weeks after they were made.
— Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) March 20, 2020
Loeffler and Sprecher “have made clear that those transactions were executed by their financial advisors without Mr. Sprecher’s or Senator Loeffler’s input or direction,” argued the Intercontinental Exchange in a March news release.
The Fortune 500 company went on to claim said transactions were executed via a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan and are “in compliance with Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. policies and procedures.”
“Per ICE [Intercontinental Exchange] policy, all trading plans require a 30-day cooling off period from the time the trading plan is adopted to the date of the first transaction.”
Citing a GOP strategist “familiar with the plans,” CNBC noted Republicans and Democrats will each burn through around $100 million over the next few weeks. Democratic victories in both races would split the Senate 50-50 between the two parties.
