Who won the Georgia Senate runoff election between Raphel Warnock and Herschel Walker?
The Democrat’s slim majority in the Senate means they can sideline the right of their party, though a Republican-controlled House will make governing tough.
The incumbent Democrat senator, Raphael Warnock, won the final midterm runoff on Tuesday night in Georgia. Beating his Republican opponent Herschel Walker by 40,000 votes Warnock won his first full-term and delivered what has ended up being a Democrat midterm success, at least in terms of the Senate race.
In an election law quirk it is the fourth senate race Warnock has had to fight in just two years due to both races ending in runoffs.
The result is another personal blow for former president Donald Trump due to his large backing of Warner which many argue secured him the senate nomination in the first place.
What did Senator Warnock say after his victory?
Warnock told those at the election party, “After a hard-fought campaign – or should I say campaigns – it is my honor to utter the four most powerful words ever spoken in a democracy: the people have spoken.”
“I am Georgia,” Warnock continued, “I am an example and an iteration of its history, of its pain and its promise, of the brutality and the possibility. But because this is America, because we always have a path to make our country greater against unspeakable odds, here we stand together. Thank you, Georgia.”
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What does the victory mean for the governance of the US?
Ultimately Warnock’s victory does not change the arithmetic in the House of Representatives, meaning it will be very difficult for the Democrats to advance any legislation. Anything will have the have the approval of members of the GOP to pass. Republicans will also have the opportunity to control a number of committees. It is likely the January 6 committee will be dissolved.
Better results in traditionally blue states like New York could have resulted in the Dems holding on to the House. The party was let down by colleagues in New York who went from 18 seats down to 15 who by all accounts led an uninspiring race.