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

Bernie Sanders thanks organisers who helped in Georgia election effort

Sen. Bernie Sanders thanked organisers for working on behalf of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who are both projected to win their elections against incumbent Republican senators. 

He emphasized the importance of building coalitions that spanned race and background and that addressed the needs of the working class.

Ossoff widens lead over Perdue

Democrat Jon Ossoff’s lead over David Perdue has expanded to 0.4 per cent, or 17, 567 votes. 

If Mr Ossoff reaches and maintains a 0.5 per cent or greater lead over Mr Perdue, he will avoid the potential for a recount. 

Barack Obama thanks Georgians for carrying the baton of the civil rights legend to deliver Democrats control of the Senate.

“My friend John Lewis is surely smiling down on his beloved Georgia this morning, as people across the state carried forward the baton that he and so many others passed down to them,” he said in a tweet.

“And while we’re still waiting on final results in the other runoff, it’s clear that last night’s showing, alongside President-Elect Biden’s November victory in Georgia, is a testament ot the power of the tireless and often unheralded work of grassroots organizing and the resilient, visionary leadership of Stacy Abrams.”

“Georgia! Your secretary of state, who I can’t believe this guy’s a Republican. He loves recording telephone conversations,” Trump said.

“I thought it was a great conversation personally, so did a lot of other, people loved that conversation because it said what’s going on. These people are crooked. They’re 100 per cent, in my opinion, one of the most corrupt. Between your governor and your secretary of state. And now you have it again last night, just take a look at what happened what a mess.”

Dr Alisha Kramer, the wife of Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff spent election night at the hospital instead of following the results with her husband and the campaign as he declared victory.  

Atlanta Journal-Constitution political reporter Patricia Murphy got the news from the campaign. 

"I want to thank my wonderful wife Alisha who as we speak is at the hospital helping Georgia mothers deliver healthy babies, helping save lives," Mr Ossoff said in his victory speech, which was streamed live on YouTube on Wednesday morning.

The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander reports.

“Georgia voters delivered a resounding message yesterday: they want action on the crises we face and they want it right now. Together, we'll get it done,” Biden said in a tweet

The Trump-supporting Georgia state representative announced on Twitter he officially joined the GOP.

“Now more than ever, the Republican Party is in desperate need of leaders that know how to fight. I know how to fight,” he said.

The odds-on Democratic victory in two US Senate races on Tuesday could open the door to the more robust government spending response economists and others have argued is needed to get the country through the pandemic with as little long-term economic damage to companies and households as possible.

“We have an opportunity to really move something that can revive the economy and put a stop to the virus,” said William Spriggs, the chief economist with the AFL-CIO who served in the Labor Department under President Obama.

Between aid for local government and possible further help for families and businesses, economists have estimated that perhaps another trillion dollars of support could hit the economy in the first part of the year, a boost to spending and a downpayment on filling the gap in U.S. output caused by the worst economic downturn in decades.

“We assume an additional $1 trillion of stimulus in the next few months...This will close the output gap roughly 4-6 quarters” faster than expected, analysts from Jefferies wrote. That could shift the economy’s fortunes enough for the Fed to start raising interest rates by early 2023 instead of in the following year, as currently anticipated. - Reuters

It is unclear, however, what The Mask actor is SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMOKIN'! in this undecipherable comment on Sesame Street’s Count Dracula talking to Trump

This via Washington Post reporter Amy Gardner, who said secretary of state Brad Raffensperger and senior staff have been escorted to safety.