Photo: JIM LO SCALZO / EFE
With the victory in the race for the Senate of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia , the Democrats secured the majority in that chamber and, therefore, control of Congress.
Ossoff prevailed over the Republican David Perdue for a minimal difference, by getting the 50. 3% of the votes against 49. 7 %.
A similar result was the contest between Warnock, who won the 49. 7% against 49. 3% Republican Kelly Loeffler.
The results leave the Republican Party with 50 positions, the same as for the Democratic Party, but the vice president-elect Kamala Harris will be the vote that inclines the scale.
At a press conference, the Democratic leader Charles Schumer (New York), advanced the good news for his party, although he was questioned on the failure of Ossoff’s win, although he said there were votes pending, but varied in favor of his candidate. So it was. After 5 o’clock: 00 pm his triumph was confirmed.
“We have two new senators coming to help” , he said . Senators Rafael Warnock and Jon Ossoff ran top-notch campaigns. They will be prominent senators for Georgia. ”
He highlighted the importance of Warnock’s triumph, since both senators of the entity were segregationists when he was born.
“Yesterday, Georgia he has just elected his first African American to the United States Senate in its history, “he said. Warnock is the senior pastor of Ebenezer Historic Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.
In a previous statement, Schumer had highlighted the change in status for Democrats.
“It feels like a brand new day. For the first time in six years, Democrats will have a majority in the United States Senate, and that will be very good for the American people ”, said Schumer.
He added that his first action will be the vote of the financial aid of $ 2, 00 $ 0 direct to Americans.
“The United States is experiencing one of the largest crises we’ve ever faced and the Senate Democratic majority is committed to making bold change and helping Americans in need … Help is on the way “, he indicated.
Schumer and other Republicans, such as Bernie Sanders (Vermont), had promoted the vote of increment from $ 600 to $ 2, 00 $ 0, but the Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) rejected the petition three times.
Control of Congress, Democrats will facilitate the president-elect Joe Biden pushing his agenda forward, including several promises on immigration, environmental and judicial reform, such as the path to citizenship for dreamers and millions of undocumented immigrants.
Schumer also thanked the activist Stacey Abrams and her team at Fair Fight Georgia.
“During 10 years, she and her team, and many of the women’s groups, women’s groups black women, they worked and they worked and they worked to change Georgia, ”she said. “Stacey would be the first to tell you that she didn’t do it alone. So a huge thank you to the many organizations that have worked so hard. ”
This Democratic breakthrough is a major blow to the president’s movement Donald Trump , who lost the election and has accused unfounded voter fraud.
The last time Democrats won a Senate majority was in 2008 with the triumph of the president Barack Obama.