Political tensions have been high, the presidential election, riots, the run-off senate elections that concluded just last week with these high tensions many see the importance of the votes and how whoever one can change Georgia. 

“We are a swing state, so we can shift between Democrat and Republican votes, so the majority was democrat [switching the state to Democrat],” Erin Bradley, sophomore, said.

Since late September, pamphlets, televisions, and phones have been displaying advertisement campaigns for Georgia’s senator nominee. Phones rang as campaigners called to get voters for Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, or Democrats Raphel Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Due to votes being too close to call in November, a run-off election was scheduled on Jan. 5, and as a result, the advertisements continued. 

“The senator ads were really annoying and kept interrupting my YouTube videos,” Alicia Isenberg, sophomore, said.

Announced on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff had won their elections and their seats in the senate. 

“The future is bright. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for this victory,” Ossoff said after his win was announced to the Nation. 

After Warnock’s win was announced to the public, Warnock went live to present his victory speech and gratitude for the people who voted for him.

“Thank you. I come before you as a proud American and son of Georgia. My roots are planted deeply in Georgian soil,” Warnock said.

The two candidates both made history by winning the election. 

“The highlight for me is that we got the first Georgian African American senator and a younger guy who also makes history as the first Jewish senator, which makes for a rather interesting contrast,“ Erick Lopez Figueroa, junior, said.

This election, more than ever, was riding on the fact that if both Democrat candidates won, the Senate would be split 50/50, leaving vice President-Elect Kamala Harris to break the tie and have the final decision in all senate votes. 

“I am not completely thrilled with the recent results from the Senate run-off election. Since Joe Biden has apparently won the presidential race, I was hoping the Republicans would take the Senate. I don’t believe that Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are as highly qualified to serve the country and protect the Constitution as it was written in 1787,“ Mattie Truan, freshman, said. 

 On the same day the results were announced, some citizens who were taking part in a  Trump-supporting rally in Washington D.C. turned into a violent storm on Capitol Hill, while Biden’s official presidential win was being declared on the inside. Some rioters were angry over the 50/50 takeover of the Democrats in the Senate after the winners were officially announced. At this time, over thirty of the rioters have been arrested with many others wanted with more arrests to come.

“To me, a cause of the riots could have been the Republican loss of the Senate, field by Trump losing the election and what Trump was saying over social media during the rally,” Anthony Berberi, senior, said.

With the high stakes elections taking place in the past years, many students question weather they should pay closer attention to the news. 

“I feel that it is important for everyone to pay attention to elections even if they cannot vote because in the future they will be able to vote,” Kaitlyn Lewis, senior, said.

As the advertisement campaigns are slowly disappearing, it is important that politics stay fresh on students minds due to the fact that in the next two years, many will be eligible to vote in 2022 elections.