ATLANTA:Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock won a hotly contested U.S. Senate race in Georgia over Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler, TV networks and Edison Research projected, but which party will control the chamber was up in the air with a second contest still undecided.
Warnock, a Baptist preacher, defeated Loeffler in one of two runoff elections in Georgia that will decide control of the Senate - and whether Republicans will be able to block President-elect Joe Biden's agenda.
The race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican David Perdue was still too close to call.
With 98% reporting, Warnock was ahead of Loeffler by a percentage point, roughly 40,000 votes, while Ossoff led Perdue by about 3,560 votes, according to Edison Research.
The critical races drew an estimated 4.5 million voters - a record for a runoff - along with nearly half a billion dollars in advertising spending since Nov. 3 and visits on Monday by Republican President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden.
Most of the votes remaining to be counted were in counties Biden won in November, with roughly 30,000 to go in DeKalb and Newton counties near Atlanta, according to Edison Research estimates.
"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 told supporters in a livestream message before the projection.
"I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election."
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said election officials would take a break overnight but resume counting on Wednesday morning. "Hopefully by noon we'll have a better idea where we are," he said on CNN.
Democrats must win both contests to take control of the Senate. A Democratic sweep would create a 50-50 split in the Senate and give Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, as president of the Senate, the tie-breaking vote after she and Biden take office on Jan. 20. The party already has a narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
If Republicans hold the second seat, they would effectively wield veto power over Biden's political and judicial appointees as well as many of his legislative initiatives in areas such as economic relief, climate change, healthcare and criminal justice.
No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in Georgia in 20 years. The head-to-head runoff elections, a quirk of state law, became necessary when no candidate in either race exceeded 50% of the vote in November.
Warnock will become Georgia's first Black U.S. senator and Ossoff, at 33, would be the Senate's youngest member. Perdue is a former Fortune 500 executive who has served one Senate term. Loeffler, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, was appointed a year ago to fill the seat of a retiring senator.
Reuters
Wed Jan 06 2021
![Democrat Warnock wins in Georgia; Second runoff and U.S. Senate control undecided Democrat Warnock wins in Georgia; Second runoff and U.S. Senate control undecided](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-01/81609917910_ATLANTA.jpg)
Warnock, a Baptist preacher, defeated Republican Kelly Loeffler in one of two runoff elections in Georgia, according to Edison Research. REUTERSpic
AWANI Pagi: Hidup bersama COVID-19
Jom ketahui semua info penting tentang “Hidup Bersama COVID-19”! Langkah, pengurusan kes, vaksin, dan banyak lagi bersama Dr Aznida Mohamad Zaki, Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam, Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia dalam Awani Pagi Selasa, 8.30 pagi.
![Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-11/71699450877_wang.jpg)
Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar AS
Pada jam 8 pagi, ringgit meningkat kepada 4.6695/6735 berbanding dolar US daripada 4.6725/6745 semalam.
YB Kinabatangan 'musykil' Ahli Parlimen PN pakai riben putih
Ahli Parlimen Kinabatangan Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin 'musykil' Ahli Parlimen Ahli Parlimen Perikatan Nasional (PN) guna lilitan riben putih.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
Penguasaan bahasa Inggeris, KPM buka ruang kepada pesara beri cadangan
"Kalau sukarelawan Singapura nak datang, kita alu-alukan. Kalau guru-guru bersara nak berkhidmat dengan kita pun kita alu-alukan," kata Menteri Pendidikan, Fadhlina Sidek.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
![Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini? Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/61718169354_TBKimPanGon.jpg)
Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?
Kim Pan-gon dipercayai akan mengadakan sidang akhbar hari ini untuk mengumumkan peletakan jawatannya.
AWANI Ringkas: Syor ambil guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura jadi tumpuan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721098519_suspekbunuhNurFar.jpg)
Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari
Perintah reman terhadap suspek lelaki berusia 26 tahun itu dikeluarkan Hakim Nurul Mardhiah Mohammed Redza.
KPM teliti cadangan sukarelawan Guru Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura
Sukarelawan berbentuk hubungan diplomasi yang dibiayai kerajaan Singapura bagi bantu tingkatkan penguasaan bahasa Inggeris murid di kawasan miskin bandar dan luar bandar, kata Menteri Pendidikan.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
Niaga AWANI: [Pasca IPO] Apa hala tuju Johor Plantations Group?
Johor Plantations Group (JPG) memperoleh RM735 juta daripada penyenaraiannya di pasaran utama Bursa Malaysia sejak 9 Julai lalu. Bagaimanakah pelan JPG untuk terus berdaya saing pada masa hadapan?
Impact of cloud complexity on cybersecurity risk and AI's role in this mix
Organizations who are adopting multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environments are having to navigate new complexities that emerge as they expand on cloud. As these cloud environments lead to the expansion of attack surfaces, a global survey conducted by Gigamon found that 93% of IT and security leaders predict cloud security attacks will increase this year.
![Trump menang di Alaska, keputusan pilihan raya AS tidak terjejas Trump menang di Alaska, keputusan pilihan raya AS tidak terjejas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-11/61605110202_DonaldTrump.jpg)
Trump menang di Alaska, keputusan pilihan raya AS tidak terjejas
Presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Donald Trump menewaskan Joe Biden dalam jumlah undian elektoral di Alaska, menurut data Edison Research.