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By Christopher Brito
2. December 2020 / 3:31 pm
/ CBS News
LeBron James said this week that his franchise, More Than A Vote, will participate in the Georgia Senate runoff, scheduled for Jan.. January will take place. James said his organization, which worked to recruit election workers and provide early voting sites in the 2020 election, « never did a one-off » in an interview on the UNINTERRUPTED podcast posted Tuesday.
« We’re trying to figure out how we can continue to make change in the churches, not just in my home church in Akron, Ohio, but in churches across America, and hopefully we can make change in the churches the world too, » said James. « So we’re looking for opportunities – there’s a huge Senate race in Georgia in January, so let’s go for it. «
In one race, GOP Senator Kelly Loeffler competes against the Democrat Reverend Raphael Warnock. the other puts GOP Senator David Perdue against Democrat Jon Ossoff. The runoff elections will ultimately determine whether Republicans or Democrats will control the majority in the Senate. Democrats would have to win both races to reach a 50:50 split, which would mean Vice President Kamala Harris would sever ties.
During the presidential election, the NBA superstar’s group announced that they had more than 42. 000 election workers recruited across the country and nearly 300. Helped 000 people vote in arenas. James said the job isn’t over as Georgia voters decide the crucial seats next month.
James praised former Georgia House minority leader Stacey Abrams who, along with her New Georgia Project, largely contributed to 800. Registering 000 new voters in the state, mostly in color communities.
He also praised efforts to cast votes during the Atlanta and Georgia general election, which helped turn the historically red state blue.
More Than A Vote worked with the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena to make the facility available as an early voting venue in the weeks leading up to the presidential election and on election day. The State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United play, will be open to registered voters from Fulton County for early voting on select dates in December, according to a tweet from the organization.
More Than a Vote, led by James and other black athletes and entertainers, campaigned to fight « systemic, targeted suppression of voters » after the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. With the NBA season only a few weeks away, ESPN reported Wednesday that James had signed a two-year $ 85 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The reported deal ends in 2022-2023, which would give him 20 seasons in the league.
First published on 2. December 2020 / 3:31 pm
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Christopher Brito is a social media producer and trending writer for CBS News, who focuses on sports and stories related to race and culture.
2020 United States Senate Election in Georgia, LeBron James, Georgia, Republican Party
World News – AU – LeBron James constituency aims to hold crucial runoff in Georgia Senate
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