[US Midterm Elections] Georgia, the "Senate's Biggest Battleground," Likely to Have Runoff Vote Next Month

Democratic Party's Warnock and Republican Party's Walker Both Fail to Secure Majority Votes

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] The Georgia Senate election, considered the most competitive race in the U.S. midterm elections, ended in an extremely close result, with the winner to be decided in a runoff election next month.

As of 4 a.m. on the 9th (local time), with 97% of the votes counted in the Georgia midterm election, incumbent Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock led Republican candidate Herschel Walker with 49.4% (1,935,464 votes) to 48.5% (1,900,168 votes), but failed to secure a majority. With no candidate achieving a majority as the vote count nears completion, a runoff election is almost certain. Georgia holds a runoff election four weeks later if no candidate wins a majority.

Gabriel Sterling, Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Secretary of State's office overseeing the election, stated on Twitter, "There are still votes to be counted, but I can say that the Georgia runoff election will be held on December 6."

Herschel Walker, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Georgia, is giving a speech at a supporters' gathering held in Atlanta on the 8th (local time) after the midterm elections ended.

At the Georgia vote counting site, where the race was extremely close, dozens of reporters competed for coverage. The Georgia Senate election was a critical battleground determining whether Democrats or Republicans would hold the Senate majority. Georgia had been a Republican stronghold for decades, but in the 2020 presidential election, the Democrats caused an upset by electing Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff together.

Democratic Senator Warnock and Republican candidate Walker both urged their supporters to prepare for a runoff election. Around midnight on the 8th, Warnock appeared before Democratic supporters and said, "The vote difference is very small, but I have a good feeling," adding, "Have faith."

Walker, a former popular NFL player, also said, "I did not come here to lose," receiving cheers from Republican supporters. Anticipating the runoff, Walker stated, "He (Warnock) is definitely a tough opponent to beat," but added, "But if he thinks he can beat me, he is mistaken."