ATLANTA — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Herschel Walker Tuesday in Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff, securing a 51st seat for Democrats in Congress’ upper chamber, giving the party greater power to push its agenda in the chamber.
The Associated Press projected Warnock as the winner Tuesday night, though official results will take longer.
Warnock’s victory means Senate Democrats — as long as they vote in unity — will no longer need to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to cast tie-breaking votes. It also lessens the ability of moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to block or soften legislation, as they’ve done in the current Congress.
