Raphael Warnock is the projected winner in the Georgia Senate run-off election against incumbent Kelly Loeffler. Warnock’s win brings Democrats one step closer to securing a majority in the upper chamber.
A series of news outlets including called the race for Warnock around 2 am. Warnock will be Georgia’s first black senator.
The Hill reports:
The pastor declared victory in a video address after midnight on Wednesday.
“We were told that we couldn’t win this election, but tonight we proved that with hope, hard work and the people by our side, anything is possible,” Warnock said. “So Georgia, I am honored by the faith that you have shown in me and I promise you this tonight: I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election.”
Loeffler showed no signs of conceding the race just after midnight Wednesday, calling for every vote to be counted.
“It’s worth it for this election to last into tomorrow. We’re going to make sure that every vote is counted,” she said prior to the race being called. “We have a path to victory and we’re staying on it.”
The run-off election between David Perdue and Jon Ossoff is still too close to call for either candidate.
Warnock will be up for re-election in 2022 because this was a special election.