Trump-Backed Walker Loses To Democratic Rival Warnock In Georgia Senate Runoff

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) has reportedly defeated Donald Trump-backed Republican candidate, Herschel Walker,  in Georgia’s runoff election.

What Happened: This is Warnock’s second runoff victory and gives the Democrats a 51-49 Senate majority, reported the Associated Press.

Warnock, Age 53, is a senior pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.

Warnock reportedly portrayed his rival Walker as “not a serious person” during the campaign. “The election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused,” said the Democrat.

Even so, Warnock distanced himself from President Joe Biden, who has suffered an erosion in his ratings due to soaring inflation, and campaigned with former President Barack Obama in days before the election, reported the Press.

Why It Matters: With Democrats cementing their victory, the party no longer needs a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Kamala Harris to get legislation cleared, noted the Press.

Meanwhile, Republicans control the House of Representatives with a narrow majority, which means the U.S. is headed for a divided government.
Walker’s defeat is considered a blow to former President Trump even as he prepares to run for the presidency for the third time in 2024.

In the runoff, 1.9 million votes were cast by mail while state officials estimated an additional 1.4 million were cast on Election day — more than the November midterm and the 2020 elections, reported the Press.

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