AP: Warnock beats Walker in U.S. Senate runoff

Democrats will hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate following Raphael Warnock's victory in Georgia's runoff.

ATLANTA (AP) – Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a runoff election in Georgia.

The victory by the state’s first Black senator ensures Democrats an outright majority in the chamber for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term. That means the party won’t have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and Vice President Kamala Harris won’t be called on as much to break tie votes.

Warnock’s win solidifies Georgia’s place as a Deep South battleground: Voters here returned the Democrat to the Senate in the same cycle they reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.

As of 10:45 p.m., Warnock led Walker 50.73% to 49.27% with more than 3,420,000 votes counted.