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

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Related video: Georgia election official debunks one Trump conspiracy theory after another

Democrats took control of the Senate after Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler by razor-thin margins.

The victories were overshadowed by riots in Washington DC as a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in an effort to stop the count of the Electoral College votes declaring Joe Biden as president elect.

The chaos spread to Georgia as governor Brian Kemp and secretary of state Brad Raffensperger were reportedly evacuated after a 'militia' gathered outside the state Capitol.

Mr Ossoff, 33, becomes the youngest man to enter the Senate since president-elect Joe Biden did so himself in 1973 while Reverend Warnock becomes the state’s first black senator and only the second black senator elected to represent a former Confederate state.

Their wins mean that both parties have 50 senators each, leaving the deciding vote in legislative matters with vice president-elect Kamala Harris and seeing Mitch McConnell deposed as majority leader.

• Washington DC riots - live: ‘Shots fired’ heard on police radio as armed Trump supporters storm Capitol
• Militia members gather outside the Georgia Capitol as pro-Trump rioters storm Washington DC over Democrat win
• Romney blames Trump for inciting ‘insurrection’ as lawmakers plead with violent rioters to disperse from Capitol
• Armed pro-Trump rioters breach US capitol as lawmakers shelter in place

Key Points

• Huge victory for Democrats as they flip the Senate, giving Biden one-party control
• Ossoff beats Perdue and Democrats flip Senate
• Militia members are gathering outside the Georgia Capitol
• Obama invokes John Lewis and Stacy Abrams in in Georgia runoff results
• Biden cheers Senate runoff wins
• Warnock beats Loeffler to hand Democrats victory

[5 January 2021 16:10 · Joe Sommerlad]

‘Trump is singlehandedly destroying Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue’s chances ‘

For Indy Voices, here’s the latest from Andrew Feinberg on how the president is impacting this race.

Not to the advantage of Republicans, it appears.

[5 January 2021 16:25 · Joe Sommerlad]

Trump pushes ‘Stop the Steal’ nonsense and increases pressure on Pence in latest tweets

You would expect the president to be pushing the Republican Senate candidates at this point - and he does - but he also clearly has one eye on event’s tomorrow and appears to be renewing the presssure on his deputy by reminding him of the possibilities of his office. Sinister.

[5 January 2021 17:03 · Chris Riotta]

Loeffler’s husband becomes billionaire as polls open in Georgia runoff

Polls for crucial Georgia runoffs opened statewide at 7am on Tuesday

[5 January 2021 17:23 · Chris Riotta]

Stacey Abrams urges voters to unseat Perdue and Loeffler in final plea: ‘Georgia, I’m counting on you’

Stacey Abrams has released a final message urging voters to unseat Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler before polls opened on Tuesday for the state’s pair of runoff elections, which will ultimately determine which party controls the Senate.

The former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, who founded the voting rights initiative Fair Fight Action, said in a video message posted to social media: “Georgia, I’m counting on you.”

Ms Abrams also encouraged her more than 1.7 million Twitter followers to support Democratic senatorial candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Wornok in the upcoming elections, writing: “Your votes are critical to elect @Ossoff and @ReverendWarnock.”

Arguably one of the organizers most responsible for Georgia’s flip from red to blue in the 2020 presidential elections, Ms Abrams has spent the last several months developing Democratic ground game throughout the state, while helping expand early voter turnout to historic levels. 

Story to come…

[5 January 2021 17:45 · Chris Riotta]

Big Questions: Georgia tests battleground status, Trump era

The two Georgia runoffs that will determine control of the Senate have kept President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden in campaign mode and run up a half-billion-dollar tab in the process

[5 January 2021 18:05 · Chris Riotta]

Lawmakers instructed to use underground tunnels during electoral college certification over fears of violence

Security officials have warned lawmakers to use underground tunnels while convening to certify the election of President-elect Joe Biden amid a rise in tensions sparked by President Donald Trump’s failure to concede in the race.

The instructions, sent by the House sergeant-at-arms on Monday, predicted “demonstration activity and street closures” when lawmakers convene this week to certify the 2020 presidential election.

Mr Trump has continued to promote outright falsities and conspiracy theories about his electoral defeat despite evidence showing the vote was conducted free of fraud. In fact, the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security both released statements refuting the president’s claims and effectively describing the election as the most secure in US history.

And yet the president and his allies on Capitol Hill have continued their undemocratic efforts to overturn the results, with several Republican representatives and senators joining together to announce their plans to contest the certification on Wednesday. 

Story to come…

[5 January 2021 18:25 · Chris Riotta]

Stacey Abrams urges voters to unseat Perdue and Loeffler in final plea: ‘Georgia, I’m counting on you’

My latest:

[5 January 2021 18:45 · Chris Riotta]

Analysis: If Democrats win in Georgia, big tech will have to change

As an ex-president, Trump won’t have as much freedom to lie on social media — but that will still be too much, Alexander Heffner writes:

[5 January 2021 19:16 · Chris Riotta]

‘Sorry you received old intel, Mr. President’

Local officials in Georgia are reassuring voters that their ballots are safe and being counted despite Donald Trump’s flagrant falsities surrounding the runoff elections: 

[5 January 2021 19:35 · Chris Riotta]

More: Trump refuted in real time by Georgia officials

Donald Trump's false claims concerning the Georgia runoff election were slapped down in real time when a state election officials corrected him on Twitter.