Related video: Georgia election official debunks one Trump conspiracy theory after another
Jon Ossoff, also a Democrat and a political documentarian, is leading David Perdue in the other race with 98 per cent of the count in, though a result may not come for a short while yet.
Earlier, state election officials said there had been record-level turnout for the two crucial runoff elections that could shift the balance of power in the US Senate from a Republican to a Democratic majority.
‘Democrat makes history as state’s first black senator’
The front page of this morning’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution is in.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 09:50
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.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 09:35
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.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 09:20
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.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 09:05
‘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.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 08:50
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.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 08:35
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.
Joe Sommerlad6 January 2021 08:20
‘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.
Adam Withnall6 January 2021 07:58
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:
Adam Withnall6 January 2021 07:13
US media calling Warnock victory
It’s looking good for Democrat Raphael Warnock. Several major outlets – NBC, CBS and Edison Research – are now calling the result in his favour. The Associated Press is yet to do so, however.
Adam Withnall6 January 2021 06:59