Georgia Senate Election Results: Democrat Warnock Projected Winner; Ossoff-Perdue Race Up For Grabs

Update, Jan. 6, 2:40 a.m. EST: Democratic candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock is projected to defeat Republican Kelly Loeffler in the Georgia Senate runoffs, according to several reports.

Warnock's victory would make him Georgia's first Black U.S. senator. He would also be the first Democrat in the state elected to the U.S. Senate in 20 years.

Update, Jan. 6, 12:15 a.m EST: Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock is in the lead over Sen. Kelly Loeffler. Ossoff and Perdue are in a virtual tie. Democrats need to win both runoff races to flip the Senate.

Original Report:

Republicans have overtaken the lead in Georgia’s Senate runoff races after early vote counts showed Democrats leading, prompting many to believe that the GOP will likely win control of the Senate.

Election officials have counted 91% of estimated votes in the state as of 11:10 p.m. In one race, Republican Kelly Loeffler leads against Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock with 51.1% or 2,047,387 of the votes. Warnock has secured 48.9% or 1,960,568 votes.

In another race, Democrat Jon Ossof narrowly trails behind Sen. David Perdue, 51.1% to 48.9%. The Republican candidate is ahead by at least 119,029 votes.

Early vote counts from Georgia’s Senate election showed Democratic candidates Ossof and Warnock winning against Republicans Sens. Perdue and Loeffler.

Warnock, 51, serves as the senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached from 1960 until his death in 1968. He is pitted against 50-year-old Republican Kelly Loeffler, a former businesswoman appointed to the Senate on Dec. 2 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Ossof, 33, a former congressional aide and journalist, is battling against 71-year-old former business executive David Perdue. With a win, Ossof would become the youngest member of the Senate.

The outcome of Georgia’s Senate runoffs will determine who will gain control over the Senate. If both Democratic candidates win, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will serve as the tie-breaker, which would give Democrats control over Congress.

Georgia’s election day turnout has been higher than expected, with 3.1 million residents casting their ballots by mail or in-person. The races see Ossof up against Perdue, whose Senate term expired Sunday, and Rev. Warnock against Loeffler.

Election officials have counted an estimated 43% of the votes as of 8:30 p.m. ET, with Ossof leading Perdue by 168,874 votes. The Democratic challenger has secured 54.11% of the votes, while his Republican counterpart has 45.9%. Warnock also has the edge over Loeffler, with 53.7% of the overall votes.

Both Republican candidates are leading in several counties, including Atkinson County where Loeffler has 75% of the votes while Perdue has 74.8%, as of 8:36 p.m. ET.

Ossof and Warnock have also secured early leads in some spots, including Fulton County where the Reverend has 75% of the votes and Ossof has 74.3%.