Raphael Warnock will have his first six-year term as U.S. Senator. The Democratic Senator beat Republican Herschel Walker in a runoff, which concluded Tuesday night.
The self-proclaimed “senator reverend,” evoking his religious background, Warnock has beaten a Republican for the third time. Before Walker, Warnock bounced Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Rep. Doug Collins, wrapping what is seemingly a continuous campaign season, according to NBC News.
Warnock’s win expands the power of Democrats in the Senate, granting a 51st seat and flexibility to Vice President Kamala Harris for tie-breaking votes.
“After a hard-fought campaign — or, should I say, campaigns — it is my honor to utter the four most powerful words ever spoken in a democracy: The people have spoken,” Warnock said following the race being called.
“I often say that a vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and for our children,” Warnock added. “Georgia, you have been praying with your lips and your legs, your hands and your feet, your heads and your hearts. You have put in the hard work, and here we are, standing together.”
“Reverend Warnock’s well-earned win is not just a victory for Georgia, but also for democracy — as the last brick in our firewall against extremist MAGA Republican policies that threaten the very essence of our democracy,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.
In the previous election, Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes but did not pass the mark to avoid a runoff. Walker accepted the defeat.
“The numbers look like they’re not going to add up,” Walker said in defeat. “There’s no excuses in life, and I’m not going to make any excuses now because we put up one heck of a fight.”
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