Democrats took control of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday after Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were projected to win their runoff races in Georgia. CNN, NBC, ABC and The New York Times said both Democratic challengers will win the Tuesday election.
Ossoff had 50.28% of the vote to incumbent Sen. David Perdue’s 49.72, according to the Georgia secretary of state’s website. Warnock had 50.7% of the vote in the special Senate race to Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s 49.3%. With 100% of precincts reporting Wednesday afternoon, both Ossoff and Warnock had enough of a lead to avoid an automatic recount.
Warnock will become the first Black senator from Georgia. Ossoff declared victory, saying “I will look forward to serving you in the United States with integrity, with humility, with honor.”
The upper chamber will be divided 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, but Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would break any tie votes in favor of the Democrats.
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