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A Surprise Senate Civics Lesson on Election Eve

Perdue gave an impromptu talk to a group from Kenya

“No matter what you hear, we will make the transition peacefully,” Sen. David Perdue said of the election to a group of about 20 Kenyans touring the Capitol on Monday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
“No matter what you hear, we will make the transition peacefully,” Sen. David Perdue said of the election to a group of about 20 Kenyans touring the Capitol on Monday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

For some, the presidential election has been a draining (and seemingly never-ending) event mired with divisiveness. But one senator was able to take a brief step back from it all on Monday morning.

When Sen. David Perdue walked of the Senate floor, he greeted a group from Kenya who were being given a Capitol tour by former Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who is now at Deloitte.

“We have an election tomorrow, actually,” Perdue told them.

He proceeded to give an impromptu civics lesson, which was a reminder that the American electoral system — no matter how ugly it can get — is still unique.

Perdue said Americans were proud of the peaceful transition of power that occurs every election cycle. His words were especially striking amid assertions from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who Perdue supports, that the election is “rigged” and Trump may not accept the election results if he loses.

“No matter what you hear,” Perdue told the group of roughly 20 Kenyans, “we will make the transition peacefully.”

Perdue went on to explain how the Senate operates and recent lack of bipartisanship in Congress. He also said lawmakers have to put politics aside to truly address the problem of global terrorism.

Perdue later told reporters that at some point the parties have to come together.

“Presidential races are knock down, drag out fights all the way around. There’s a period of healing that both sides need to get over,” Perdue said. “But democracies depend on us going through that period of healing and rising above partisan politics to solve the problems of the day.”

Contact Bowman at bridgetbowman@rollcall.com and follow her on Twitter @bridgetbhc.

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