Runoff Election System Flawed

Yesterday in Georgia, former running back Herschel Walker got tackled by the conventional wisdom. Most political observers predicted that Walker would lose to incumbent senator Raphael Warnock in the state’s runoff election, and that’s exactly what happened. Walker was a bad candidate from the start, and his apologists’ prevarications couldn’t hide it, as much as they tried. He is a morally corrupt figure who frequently falls prey to his gaffes and missteps. Walker’s close association with former president Donald Trump, who recruited him to run for this race, didn’t help either.

Walker’s myriad personal and political shortcomings have garnered considerable news coverage. As engrossing as that may be, there’s something else about this race that’s gotten comparatively little attention: the flawed nature of the runoff system itself.

About the Author

Bobby Miller

Bobby Miller is an ISI Fellow at National Review and a graduate student at Georgetown University.

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Yesterday in Georgia, former running back Herschel Walker got tackled by the conventional wisdom. Most political observers predicted that Walker would lose to incumbent senator Raphael Warnock in the state’s runoff election, and that’s exactly what happened. Walker was a bad candidate from the start, and his apologists’ prevarications couldn’t hide it, as much as they tried. He is a morally corrupt figure who frequently falls prey to his gaffes and missteps. Walker’s close association with former president Donald Trump, who recruited him to run for this race, didn’t help either.

Walker’s myriad personal and political shortcomings have garnered considerable news coverage. As engrossing as that may be, there’s something else about this race that’s gotten comparatively little attention: the flawed nature of the runoff system itself.