Walker has "no excuses" for Senate loss to Warnock
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Sen. Raphael Warnock stands with his mother Verlene Warnock and his daughter Chloe last night in Atlanta. Photo: John Bazemore/AP
After all of that, it ended before midnight.
- Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) looked out at a packed hotel ballroom in downtown Atlanta Tuesday night and claimed his first six-year term with what he called “the four most powerful words ever spoken in a democracy: the people have spoken.”
- Minutes earlier, Republican Herschel Walker accepted the loss and urged his supporters to "believe in our elected officials."
The big picture: After at least $400 million in campaign spending and months of brutal attack ads, Georgia's U.S. Senate race ended with a cordial parting of ways for the two candidates.
Why it matters: Warnock’s 51-49 victory is a boost to Georgia Democrats after a dismal November performance. It also reinforces the notion that the state is purple with a Republican state Capitol and Democratic senators — and that it will no doubt remain in the national spotlight for elections to come.
- But for many Republicans, it’s also evidence that Walker and his campaign could not overcome his own scandals in a year when Gov. Brian Kemp won by nearly 8 points.
Between the lines: Returns on Tuesday showed Walker underperforming his November numbers in rural counties around the state, including in his hometown county, Johnson.
What they’re saying: “I want Georgians to know…whether you voted for me or not, that every single day I am going to keep working for you. I'm proud of the bipartisan workout done and I intend to do more because I actually believe that at the end of the day, we are all Americans,” Warnock told his crowd.
- A half-mile away, Walker said, “There are no excuses in life. And I'm not gonna make any excuses now. Because we put up one heck of a fight. The best thing I’ve ever done in my whole life is run for this Senate seat.”
Trail mix: Warnock’s upbeat election night party reflected Democrats’ cautious optimism all night. At the downtown Marriott Marquis — a classic (unionized) Atlanta Democratic venue — guests were treated to a broad playlist: from the Wobble to a Christian worship band and even an electric violinist performance.
- Walker’s party at the College Football Hall of Fame — where a painting of him from his Georgia football days hangs from the wall — was more subdued. Country music played most of the night.
Zoom out: Warnock’s victory expands Democrats’ Senate majority to 51 seats, bolstering their ability to move judicial nominations through the confirmation process — and easing the procedural burden of a 50-50 Senate.
How we got here: It’s been four weeks since the general election, 15 months since Herschel Walker announced his campaign last summer and 34 months since Warnock, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, announced his own first political run in 2020.
Our thought bubble: We’re tired. Goodnight.
- Just kidding. Of course, we won’t abandon you.