We have some results from the pair of Georgia runoff elections. Georgians will send Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, to the U.S. Senate. Rev. Warnock, the pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, beat incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler.
Senator-elect @ReverendWarnock: “I intend to return to the pulpit and preach on Sunday mornings … The last thing I want to do is become disconnected from the community and just spend all of my time talking to the politicians. I might accidentally become one.” #gapol #gasen pic.twitter.com/AWjF3zyXGW
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) January 6, 2021
Democrat Jon Ossoff, a documentary filmmaker, leads David Perdue, his Republican opponent, by about 16,000 votes. Ossoff has declared victory, but as of this post, The Associated Press has not called the race.
These races had national implications. If Ossoff wins, Democrats will control the Senate and make Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell the Minority Leader. President-elect Joe Biden’s agenda suddenly has much more potential.
And we’re also checking in at the White House with Vice President Mike Pence. Pence is reported to have told President Donald Trump that as the vice president, he does not have to power to block the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s win in the presidential election, according to The New York Times. President Trump insisted that Pence could change electoral votes submitted to Congress by the states, but the Timesalso reports that “there is nothing in the Constitution or the law that explicitly gives a vice president that power.”
Through a statement released by their campaign, the president also denied the Times’ report, calling it “fake news,” and saying the president and vice president agree that Pence could overturn the results, which again, is false.
We talk about both these stories and get your thoughts.
We’re continuing to cover the Georgia election results through next week. Here’s how to get in touch to share your thoughts, especially if you’re in the Peach State.
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