Georgia

President Trump tweets endorsement in Georgia secretary of state race

President Donald Trump calls on a reporter as he speaks to members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Mississippi for rallies. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

ATLANTA — President Donald Trump has tweeted an endorsement in the runoff election for Georgia's top elections official.

Trump posted a pair of tweets Monday praising Republican state Rep. Brad Raffensperger, who faces former Democratic U.S. Rep. John Barrow in a Dec. 4 runoff for secretary of state.

Trump said Raffensperger is a candidate who "is tough on Crime and Borders" and "will be great for jobs!"

The secretary of state oversees elections in Georgia, as well as professional licensing and corporate registration.

The office has no law enforcement function. It was previously held by Republican Gov.-elect Brian Kemp.

Raffensperger finished the Nov. 6 election with 49 percent of the vote, leading Barrow by just 16,278 votes out of 3.8 million cast.

The race requires a runoff because neither candidate surpassed 50 percent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.