Victory is close for Warnock. He managed to get 50.4 percent of the vote, while his opponent got 49.6 percent, with 93 percent of the votes counted. The second round of Georgia’s midterm elections was necessary because none of the candidates won a convincing majority of more than 50% in the first round.
Democrats actually already held a majority in the Senate, having already won 50 Senate seats during the midterm elections. Since the Democrats also provide the vice president, who can serve as an extra elector, they already have one more vote in the Senate. However, Warnock’s victory comes as a relief to President Joe Biden’s party, as a small margin is now allowed in the vote. Additionally, Democrats can now hold majorities in Senate subcommittees as well.
Unwritten rule: lose the party chairman
US correspondent Jan Postma points out that there is an unwritten rule in midterm elections. The incumbent president’s party always loses. Now the Democrats have lost in the House, but gain a seat in the Senate. This is a huge boost for them.’ For Republicans, defeat is once again a slap on the wrist. During the midterm elections, the party speculated that there would be a red wave, with a very convincing victory. However, that didn’t happen in the House of Representatives. While Republicans won a majority there, the difference isn’t as big as they had hoped.
Also, the defeat in Georgia is special, because the Republican candidate in Georgia has received a lot of support from former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump. “The state was still very Republican and conservative a decade ago. Democrats now see more opportunities there,” Postma says.