Democratic Challenger Calls GOP Senator a 'Crook' to His Face During Debate in Epic Smackdown

Normally a reliably red state, polls in Georgia show President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in a dead heat for the state's 16 electoral votes.

Biden's competitiveness in Georgia polls may filter through to downballot races, such as the Senate election between Republican incumbent David Perdue and his Democratic challenger, Jon Ossoff.

In a debate between the two candidates on Wednesday night, Ossoff went on the offensive, calling out Perdue for falling in line with his Republican colleagues and working to undermine preexisting condition protections in the Affordable Care Act.

Ossoff didn't mince words.

Watch below.

Calling out Perdue for the federal investigations of his potential insider trading, Ossoff said:

"It's not just that you're a crook, Senator. It's that you're attacking the health of the people that you represent. You did say [the virus] was no deadlier than the flu. You did say there would be no significant uptick in cases. All the while you were looking after your own assets and your own portfolio."

Perdue was one of the Senators who made a series of stock trades after a closed door Senate briefing on the pandemic in the early days of its outbreak.

Ossoff continued, attacking Perdue for his work to dissolve protections for preexisting conditions.

"And you did vote four times to end protections for preexisting conditions. Four times. And the legislation that you tout, the PROTECT Act, it includes loopholes that specifically allow insurance companies to deny policies to Georgians with preexisting conditions."

Ossoff's takedown was widely applauded.

Some took joy in watching Perdue squirm.

Georgia's Senate election—like the presidential election—is on November 3rd.