Runoff election in Georgia may decide fate of U.S. Senate, again - Reuters

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Control of the U.S. Senate whitethorn erstwhile again beryllium decided successful Georgia, weeks aft Election Day arsenic a choky contention betwixt Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker was headed to a Dec. 6 runoff.

With much than 99% of the ballot counted, Warnock is narrowly starring against Walker, a erstwhile shot prima endorsed by erstwhile President Donald Trump. But Warnock has not yet reached the 50% threshold needed to debar a runoff, according to information from Edison Research.

"While region officials are inactive doing the elaborate enactment connected counting the votes, we consciousness it is harmless to accidental determination volition beryllium a runoff for the US Senate present successful Georgia slated for December 6," Gabe Sterling, main operating serviceman for Georgia caput of state, said successful a Twitter station connected Wednesday.

A 3rd candidate, libertarian Chase Oliver, siphoned disconnected 2% of the vote.

Warnock, a pastor astatine Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Atlanta religion civilian rights person Martin Luther King Jr. led, won his spot successful a runoff successful January 2021.

It was 1 of 2 Senate seats up for grabs successful the formerly reliably Republican state. In a governmental upset, some Democrats won their races, handing their enactment the barest of majorities successful the chamber.

Those races were the astir costly legislature elections to day astatine that time, with the peculiar predetermination betwixt Warnock and his Republican opponent, businesswoman Kelly Loeffler, drafting astir $363 million, according to Open Secrets.

So far, Warnock's run has spent $135.8 million, portion Walker's run has spent $32.4 million, according to information from the Federal Election Commission. Millions successful extracurricular spending are besides expected to flood the state.

Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Scott Malone, Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis

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