Georgia Senate election results: Jon Ossoff declared runoff winner as ‘militia gathers’ at state Capitol

Trump is due to address his supporters in Washington this morning before the certification process gets underway, with the city has already beset by violence from “Stop the Steal” protesters.

Stuti Mishra has this report on what promises to be a difficult day ahead.

Speaking the morning after his projected victory over Republican senator Kelly Loeffler on Tuesday night, Raphael Warnock told CNN that it “was a wonderful day here in Georgia" and that he was “deeply honoured” to have won.   

“I am an iteration and example of the American dream.” he said on Wednesday morning.  “I’m deeply honoured that the people of Georgia have placed their trust in someone who grew up in public housing, one of twelve children."

Mr Warnock will be the first black senator elected to Congress from Georgia. after what has been a historic election. 

Jamie Harrison, the Democrat who stood against senator Lindsey Graham in South Carolina in November, was among those celebrating both Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock’s apparent wins in Georgia’s runoffs. 

He wrote: “Not long ago, Blacks and Jews risked their lives fighting for civil rights in the South. Now, Georgia is proving that the New South is here — and we’re bold, diverse, and united for change.”

Following Tuesday’s election, Mr Ossoff looked set to become the first Jewish man elected to the senate from Georgia, while Mr Warnock was set to become the state’s first black senator. 

Both men had been targeted by their Republican opponents in attack ads that were condemned as being racist. 

Here’s a reminder:

For Indy Voices, Sean O’Grady looks at a president whose inability to accept his own failure has torn the Republican Party in two.

Although the Democrat has already declared himself the winner, the news wire is still erring on the side of caution:

Chuck and Nancy have been heaping praise on the dynamic duo, with the House speaker recognising them as disciples of the late John Lewis and his “good trouble” philosophy.

The Utah senator was accosted by MAGA meatheads at Salt Lake City airport this week but remains undeterred, offering this withering assessment of the party’s disastrous defeat in Georgia:

Namita Singh has this on his run-in with aggrieved red caps.

Here’s Biden’s statement on a brace of wins that greatly improve his chances of delivering change.

Georgia election official says there is ‘no evidence’ of irregularities in Senate runoff 

Gabriel Sterling, a top Republican election official in Georgia, has again debunked any claims that any voter fraud took place in the state’s Senate runoff on Tuesday. 

When speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he said there is "no evidence of any irregularities" in last night’s election. 

“The biggest thing we've seen is from the president's fertile mind of finding fraud where none exists,” Mr Sterling said. "The statements [Donald Trump] keeps putting out there are incorrect and undermine people's faith in the election process."

The Republican official has become more and more outspoken against Mr Trump after weeks of the president baselessly claiming there was massive voter fraud in Georgia during the presidential election. Mr Sterling accused the president of being the main reason why the both Republican Senate candidates likely lost the Senate runoff yesterday. 

It was projected that Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock beat Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. The race between Democratic Jon Ossoff and Republican incumbent David Purdue has yet to be called, but it looked as though Mr Ossoff would likely win as well. 

Mr Sterling said the state of Georgia made it “easy” for people to vote in this election, but that there was little opportunity for any cheating. 

Georgia election official says Ossoff is likely to finish with enough votes to avoid recount

Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling told reporters today that Democrat Jon Ossoff will likely beat Republican incumbent Senator David Perdue by enough votes to avoid a recount. 

“It looks like Jon Ossoff will likely have a margin outside of the half a per cent to avoid a recount, and Reverend Warnock is ahead of him right now, so if Ossoff avoids that recount so does Reverend Warnock," Mr Sterling said. 

In Georgia, if a race’s margin is less than or equal to 0.5 per cent, a recount can be issued. Mr Sterling believes Mr Ossoff’s total will eventually exceed that threshold.