The outgoing senator, Raphael Warnock, beat in the second round on Tuesday, December 6, Herschel Walker, supported by Donald Trump. A confirmation of the underperformance of the republican party during the midterms.
by Piotr smolar (Washington, correspondent)
Democrats sigh at ease. They will have a reinforced majority in the Senate in the last two years of Joe Biden’s mandate. Their candidate, pastor Raphael Warnock, won as expected the second round of the election in Georgia, Tuesday, December 6, against Herschel Walker, former American football star. This victory offers Democrats 51 seats against 49 to the Republicans, while the voice of the vice-president, Kamala Harris, was so far necessary in the outgoing Senate to decide between the two parties (50-50).
This additional seat is of great importance. It first makes it possible to confirm the unexpected result of the Democrats during the mid-term elections a month ago, despite the loss of the House of Representatives, by a short margin. It guarantees them the possibility of continuing and even accelerating the confirmation of federal judges chosen by the president, that is 90 magistrates to date, including Ketanji Brown Jackson at the Supreme Court.
Democrats will also more clearly control the Senate commissions, including that responsible for justice. Finally, they will no longer be as vulnerable to pressures and blackouts exerted for two years by two centrist members of their party, Joe Manchin (Virginie-Western) and Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona).
The electoral evening in Georgia has passed the two camps through all the emotions, the two candidates succeeding each other, of a short margin, before the results of the major urban centers confirm the trend of the first round. Raphael Warnock had obtained 49.44 % on November 8, against 48.49 % for his opponent. None of the candidates having crossed the 50 %mark, it took a second round to decide between them. This time, about 1.5 points separates them. At one, the rural, conservative, republican georgia, storing behind a blackness denying the existence of racism and brandishing a fake policeman. To the other, the winner, the very populated areas like Atlanta, representing the new face of Georgia, made of diversity.
The profile of the secondary candidate compared to his label
The weak gap in this second round once again demonstrates tribalism which contaminated American politics, especially in certain very disputed states such as Georgia. The candidate’s profile becomes secondary, compared to his label.
There was a time when the scandals that escorted Herschel Walker during his campaign – revelations on domestic violence, children outside marriage, at least one abortion paid – would have disqualified him immediately. His best speech was the one he delivered on Tuesday evening, in which he recognized his defeat, telling his supporters that he was not going to “look for an apology”. It is rare enough among Trumpist candidates to be reported.
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