Trump warns of Georgia Senate runoffs' high stakes

President Donald Trump urged Georgian voters to "flood your polling places with a historic tidal wave of Republican voters," ahead of runoff elections that will determine control of the U.S. Senate.

Trump's announced purpose for the Monday evening trip to Georgia was to boost Republican Senate candidates in Tuesday's runoff election, but he spent much of his speech complaining bitterly about his election loss.

"Tomorrow, our entire nation is counting on the people of Georgia in a way, the world is counting on the people of Georgia," the president said. "You must deliver a Republican victory so big that the Democrats can't steal it or cheat it away. "

One of the Georgia Republicans in Tuesday's runoff — Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who faces Democrat Raphael Warnock — told the crowd she will join senators formally objecting to Biden's win on Wednesday. The other Republican seeking reelection, David Perdue, who is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff, will not be eligible to vote.

Trump's daughter Ivanka asked voters to "send a resounding message that patriotism is alive and well in Georgia."

During the outdoor rally Trump repeated numerous times his claims of election fraud, which have been rejected by election officials — Republican as well as Democratic in state after state — and courts up to the U.S. Supreme Court. His former attorney general, William Barr, also has said there is no evidence of fraud that could change the election outcome.

With Biden set to be inaugurated Jan. 20, Trump is intensifying efforts to prevent the traditional transfer of power. On a call disclosed Sunday, he can be heard pressuring Georgia officials to "find" him more votes from the Nov. 3 election he lost in that state.

(Image credit: AP)