Biden praises Warnock win, awaits Ossoff outcome

US President-elect Joe Biden is heralding a Democratic victory in at least one of Georgia’s two US Senate runoffs as part of “a resounding message,” as well as good news for his agenda.

Biden in a statement congratulates Rev. Raphael Warnock on his “groundbreaking win” over Republican Kelly Loeffler, noting he was “hopeful” that fellow Democrat Jon Ossoff would also win his race.

Biden, the first Democrat in decades to win Georgia’s electoral votes, campaigned several times for the Senate candidates, whose performances affect his legislative agenda’s success. Ossoff’s victory would mean a 50-50 Senate split, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris serving as a tie-breaking vote.

Ossoff held a small lead over Republican David Perdue as of Wednesday morning, though it was too early to call the race. Under Georgia law, a trailing candidate may request a recount when the margin of an election is less than or equal to 0.5 percentage points.

— AP

Georgia Democratic candidates for US Senate Raphael Warnock, left, and Jon Ossoff, right, gesture toward a crowd during a campaign rally in Marietta, Georgia, November 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)