In a last plea for votes, Sen. Raphael Warnock (Republican Herschel Walker) barnstormed Georgia amid signs of increasing momentum for the Democratic incumbent and fading GOP hopes ahead of Tuesday’s runoff.

Both parties expect a close result on Tuesday in the state that is so divided. A Walker victory is possible after a November election that was unexpected in many races across the country.

Warnock, despite his first-place finish in round one of voting, scattered polling and temperature checking of Democratic and GOP operatives make Warnock a slight favourite to win the full six-year term.

Jason Shepherd, former chairman of the Cobb County GOP, stated that “I think many Republicans are hoping that we’ll be pleased surprised”, but there aren’t a lot to support this belief. “Just a lot hope and faith in the unseen. It’s Christmas, after all.

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Warnock’s weekend schedule was the most intense. He ran to six events in different cities on Saturday and Sunday. He also delivered a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist church, where he is senior pastor, and said that voting “is a form prayer.”

Warnock repeatedly warned on the campaign trail about the fact that a record-breaking early voting period doesn’t guarantee victory. Democrats were encouraged by the high early vote totals, which means that a large portion of their voters has already cast ballots. Republicans will need to make up significant ground on Election Day turnout.

“We had an amazing early vote period. Warnock advised voters at Sunday’s New Freedom Christian Center that they shouldn’t spike the football until you reach the end zone. Warnock spoke to them on Sunday night. Warnock is a predominantly Black church located in East Athens. “I need you bring this one home.”

Walker was at two events. He attended a tailgate in Atlanta prior to a University of Georgia football match on Saturday. On Sunday, Walker spoke at a rally in Loganville. His stump speech covered everything from pronouns and critical races theory to funding law enforcement.

“It’s high time for us to be heard and have our votes count. So quit making up complaints. “What we need is to get to the polls,” Walker said, flanked at the podium by Sen. Tim Scott (R.S.C.). “And, like Sen. Scott said: If you don’t know anyone, make one and go vote.

Although there hasn’t been much polling about the runoff, a CNN survey on Friday showed that Warnock held a slim lead over Walker among likely voter, 52 to 48%. According to SSRS’s poll, Warnock was preferred by 36 independent voters, compared to 61 for Walker.

Walker is plagued by scandals, gaffes, and more. There are a series of allegations that Walker pressured women to have abortions despite their opposition; his unapologetic embrace for Donald Trump despite his state of disapproval; and an endless stream verbal miscues that have made Walker the subject of mocking ads and skits on Saturday Night Live.

POLITICO interviewed Walker on Saturday to clarify his confusion about which chamber of Congress he was running in. He also seemed to believe that the outcome of his race would decide the fate of the Senate.

He said that voters are not “less motivated” because they know the House will be there, but that they don’t want it to be. You get the House and the committees. All the committees are equal, they just stall matters within them. We can keep Joe Biden under control if we do.

Republicans have won control of the House and Democrats will hold the Senate, regardless of what happens in Georgia. Warnock’s win would increase their majority to 51-49.

Warnock has other subtle positive signs in the home stretch. He is the leader in both fundraising and advertising dollars. According to AdImpact’s latest spending report, his campaign and other Democratic groups have spent more that twice as much as their Republican counterparts. Warnock’s campaign spent $7.6million on advertising in the last week, compared to $3.65 million for Walker’s ad buys.

According to AdImpact, more than $30 million has been spent in Atlanta by both parties in just the last week, which includes Election Day.

Meanwhile, Republicans are subtly betraying their loss of faith in their candidate.

Gov. Brian Kemp, who won reelection even though he had clashed openly with Trump in November, backed Walker in the runoff. Walker was lent his get-out the-vote apparatus by Republican Kemp, who also made an ad for his cause that is still being aired. Kemp didn’t campaign with Walker in the last weekend of the race.

In recent days, Georgia Republican operatives are less optimistic. Allies privately admit that Walker’s chances of winning are slim due to Walker’s outperformance and Walker’s slow pace in the last days of the race.

Some GOP communications show this lack of optimism. In emails sent by Walker’s campaign as well as the Georgia Republican Party, Walker described his Tuesday evening gathering in an “Election Night party” rather than a victory celebration party. Although it is a slight difference from Walker’s Nov. 8, election night event, it has caused some confusion among activists.

Republicans are also looking grim in the weather report: On Tuesday, rain is expected across Georgia. The GOP relies heavily on Election Day turnout and is already having difficulty motivating voters to vote for them the second time in a row.