Georgia Senate election results: Jon Ossoff declared runoff winner as ‘militia gathers’ at state Capitol
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Your support makes all the difference.Democrats took control of the Senate after Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler by razor-thin margins.
The victories were overshadowed by riots in Washington DC as a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in an effort to stop the count of the Electoral College votes declaring Joe Biden as president elect.
The chaos spread to Georgia as governor Brian Kemp and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger were reportedly evacuated after a 'militia' gathered outside the state Capitol.
Mr Ossoff, 33, becomes the youngest man to enter the Senate since president-elect Joe Biden did so himself in 1973 while Reverend Warnock becomes the state’s first black senator and only the second black senator elected to represent a former Confederate state.
Their wins mean that both parties have 50 senators each, leaving the deciding vote in legislative matters with vice president-elect Kamala Harris and seeing Mitch McConnell deposed as majority leader.
- Washington DC riots - live: ‘Shots fired’ heard on police radio as armed Trump supporters storm Capitol
- Militia members gather outside the Georgia Capitol as pro-Trump rioters storm Washington DC over Democrat win
- Romney blames Trump for inciting ‘insurrection’ as lawmakers plead with violent rioters to disperse from Capitol
- Armed pro-Trump rioters breach US capitol as lawmakers shelter in place
Democrat Warnock beats Loeffler
Democrat Raphael Warnock has defeated incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler in their battle for a Senate seat in Georgia, according to the Associated Press.
His victory is another sign of a major political shift in the longtime Republican stronghold, coming nearly two months after President-elect Joe Biden took the Peach State in November. Some Republican officials already were pointing blame at one man - Donald Trump.
Here’s the full story from our team in Washington:
Democratic challenger Warnock ousts Republican incumbent in Georgia Senate runoff
Democrat Raphael Warnock has defeated incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler in their battle for a Senate seat in Georgia, according to the Associated Press.
‘Trump said he would be blamed if Republicans lost in Georgia - and he was correct’
Donald Trump said on the eve of the Georgia runoff that “If they win, I’ll get no credit. If they lose, they’re going to blame Trump.” At least he got something right, as our US correspondent Andrew Buncombe writes.
Trump said he would be blamed if Republicans lost in Georgia - and he was correct
It did not have to be like this, writes Andrew Buncombe
Trump furiously tweets Georgia result is a lie
The outgoing president took to Twitter overnight to criticise the election shortly before Raphael Warnock was declared the winner in his race against Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler.
Graeme Massie has the latest angry posts from the White House.
Trump furiously tweets Georgia result is a lie as GOP looks set to lose at least one seat
Outgoing president accuses officials of ‘voter dump’ against Republicans
What really happens with 50-50 Senate tie?
Should Jon Ossoff secure victory over David Perdue (he’s winning, see below), the 100-seat Senate would be split straight down the middle, with 50 seats each and Democratic vice president-elect Kamala Harris casting the deciding vote, giving the blues the advantage.
But is it as simple as that?
What about the conservative end of the Democratic Party? Can the likes of West Virginia’s Joe Manchin be relied upon?
Griffin Connolly examines the issues.
What really happens with 50-50 Senate tie?
West Virginia Democrat is one of the most conservative members of his party in Washington
‘Republicans privately acknowledge that there’s no real path to victory’
The inquest appears to be already beginning within the GOP, with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell’s rejection of President Trump’s insistence on upping stimulus relief cheques from $600 to $2,000 looking like being the fatal (and entirely self-inflicted) wound.
Here’s the miserable scene at the party’s local headquarters, where “Only of a Lonely Heart” by Yes (tune!) is being played to a muted response.
Stacey Abrams congratulates Warnock as Ossoff victory in sight
The Georgia-based voter registration activist will again rightly receive the plaudits for organising this triumph for the Democrats.
Here she is congratulating the reverend for his win over Loeffler.
It’s certainly looking like a done deal for Ossoff too, with NBC guru Dave Wasserman calling it three hours ago (though Twitter disagreed).
He points out that the win will be tight and is likely to be contested, with a recount demand widely expected from the Perdue camp.
Since then, Ossoff’s camp have issued the following highly positive statement.
Ossoff ahead by 13,000 - and could pass recount threshold
With 98 per cent of the vote counted, things are looking very nice for the Democrats right now.
This could further tip the scales.
Lindsey Graham’s worst nightmare could be realised
A lot of love going around for this vintage tweet from the South Carolina senator and Trump loyalist from 10 October in which he warns of a conservative doomsday scenario that could be about to become a real possibility.
‘Democrat makes history as state’s first black senator’
The front page of this morning’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution is in.
Trump blamed for Georgia as Pence risks his wrath by refusing to play ball in Senate
As we await confirmation of an increasingly likely Jon Ossoff victory, Republicans are already venting their frustration at the president’s interventions in the race, Trump pushing his own mad election conspiracies at his rally in Dalton on Monday night and bickering with party elders rather than making a meaningful case for the candidates.
Today, of course, November’s general election results will be certified in the Senate, with his last ditch attempt to pressure his deputy, Mike Pence, into turning his ceremonial role in proceedings into all-out revolution seemingly falling flat, with Pence preferring to play by the rules and then flee his wrath.
Here’s Andrew Buncombe with news of their “tense” lunch yesterday.
Trump turns screws on Pence after ‘tense lunch’ and falsely insists he can block Biden win
‘The Vice President and I are in total agreement that he has the power to act’
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