Democrats solidify Senate majority after Georgia runoff election

Democratic Senator Rafael Warnock beat prominent soccer player and Republican Herschel Walker in the runoff election for the Senate in Georgia, bringing an important victory to President Joe Biden and his party.

With the ballot count almost complete, Baptist pastor Warnock received 50.6 percent of the vote, while Walker received 49.4 percent.

A Warnock victory would give the Democrats a clear majority in the Senate after two years in which the House seats were split evenly in half, with Vice President Kamala Harris having the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Republicans hoped to get a good head start before the 2024 election, when the electoral map would favor them. But Walker’s campaign was mired in scandals, and he was more than twice behind his opponent in election spending. Moreover, some party officials had no confidence in the candidate and his campaign.

Republican voters usually wait until Election Day, but on this rainy Tuesday, their turnout at the polls was insufficient to overcome the advantage that Warnock had accumulated during the early voting days.

In an interview with NBC, Warnock’s campaign manager, Quentin Falks, said the victory was due in part to the fact that they were able to play on the contrast between the candidates and find an approach to independent voters, as well as to those who leaned toward supporting Republicans but doubted Walker.

A runoff election was required by state law because no candidate won a majority in the November election.

Democrats winning the 51st seat in the 100-seat Senate means they can break their power-sharing agreement with Republicans in the chamber and secure clear majorities in committees.

They can also afford to lose one vote on issues such as approving candidates for executive branch positions and judgeships.

The extra seat could also be important in future Democratic efforts to maintain a majority in 2024, when the electoral map will heavily favor Republicans.

A star soccer player on the University of Georgia and NFL teams, Walker enjoyed the support of former President Donald Trump. But he has been weakened by growing scandals and a sense of pessimism about his campaign.