GA-Sen-B: Last month, the Daily Beast reported that GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler had liquidated a number of assets just before the markets tanked as the coronavirus pandemic worsened. Now, recently released financial disclosures reveal that she shed even more stock than we previously knew.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that $18.7 million in Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) stock was sold between Feb. 26 and March 11 on Loeffler’s behalf; the senator’s husband, Jeff Sprecher, is the CEO of ICE, which owns the New York Stock Exchange. Loffler's team said in response that these sales had previously been arranged as part of the couple’s compensation package, which allowed them to buy ICE stock at a discounted rate.
During this time, Loeffler and Sprecher also invested in a company that makes protective gear needed to fight the coronavirus. In addition, Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the pair sold $46,000 in stock in a travel company one day before Donald Trump announced a ban on most travel between the United States and Europe—stock they had only purchased days before. Loeffler’s campaign has maintained that her investment decisions are made by "third-party advisors" without her knowledge.
Loeffler’s opponents from both parties in the November all-party primary have issued a fusillade of press releases attacking her over these transactions, but no one has spent any money communicating with voters about the scandal yet. However, GOP Rep. Doug Collins is out with another survey that suggests his support has edged upward as more details emerge. The results from Collins' March 31-April 1 Battleground Connect poll are below, with the numbers from a March 24 survey from the same firm in parentheses:
-
Rep. Doug Collins (R): 36 (34)
-
Pastor Raphael Warnock (D): 16 (13)
-
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-inc): 13 (14)
-
Businessman Matt Lieberman (D): 11 (18)
-
Former U.S. Attorney Ed Tarver (D): 3 (5)
A past Battleground Connect from mid-March found Collins at 30%, while Loeffler led Lieberman 19-18 for the second runoff spot; Warnock and Tarver were at 10% and 5%, respectively. Interestingly, these surveys also show Warnock, who has the support of national Democrats, overtaking Lieberman for that all-important second slot, even though nothing has happened in the last few weeks to directly impact either of their standings.
Collins is also using this poll to argue that Loeffler could jeopardize Team Red’s hold on this seat if she makes it to a January runoff with Warnock. Battleground Connect finds Collins beating the pastor 49-36, but Warnock edging Loeffler 41-40. The survey also shows Loeffler with a horrible 20-55 favorable rating, while Collins is on positive ground at 35-29.