NBC News predicts that Democrat Raphael Warnock will be re-elected to the U.S. Senate, which is crucial for President Joe Biden.
His projected victory gave Democrats a supermajority after ending two years with a 50-50 margin in the Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.
Mr Warnock defeated Republican opponent Herschel Walker – a former NFL star – during the Georgia campaign.
Reverend Raphael Warnock
The runoff was triggered after neither candidate won an outright majority in last month’s midterm elections.
Mr Walker, a 1980s NFL legend, has been unable to overcome a string of damaging allegations, including claims he paid for the abortions of two ex-girlfriends.
former nfl star herschel walker
As a multimillionaire businessman, he has exaggerated his philanthropic activities and business achievements, including claims that his companies employ hundreds of people and generate tens of millions of dollars in annual sales, although records show he had eight employees, an average Salaries are around $1.5m (£1.2m) a year.
He has stated that he has worked as a law enforcement officer and is a college (university) graduate, although he has done neither.
On the campaign trail, Mr Warnock, the state’s first black senator, touted his gains in the Senate, touting a provision he sponsored to limit the cost of insulin for low-income patients, as well as measures on infrastructure and maternal health care. trade.
However, he distanced himself from U.S. President Joe Biden, who is lagging behind in support of persistently high U.S. inflation.
walker supporter at republican watch party
However, Democrats’ outright majority in the Senate does not spell the end of a divided government, as Republicans narrowly reversed control of the House of Representatives in recent midterm elections.