Georgia Senate runoff live updates: Warnock celebrates win, Walker admits defeat
The election was the final battle of the 2022 midterms.
Georgia's Senate runoff between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker came to a close on Tuesday, with Warnock projected by ABC News to defeat Walker, after more than a year of campaigning, multiple controversies and record-breaking turnout.
While the race didn't determine control of the Senate, it did increase Democrats' power in the chamber -- where Vice President Kamala Harris currently has to break ties -- rather than see the Republicans win a 50th seat and create procedural obstacles.
Walker, a businessman and local football legend, and Warnock, a noted reverend in Atlanta, first faced off in November's general election. But neither got 50% of the vote as required by state law, leading to Tuesday's runoff after about a week of early voting.
Latest headlines:
Inside Warnock headquarters as vote tallies come in
ABC News Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott, reporting from inside Warnock's headquarters on Tuesday night, said the energy in the room was like a "block party."
"The music somehow gets louder, you have a choir singing over my shoulder here," Scott told "ABC News Live Prime" anchor Linsey Davis.
"People in this room, I can tell you Linsey, they are feeling very confident," Scott later reported. "Just moments ago they said, 'We are almost across the finish line.' This race is still too close to call. Big picture, yes it is tight, but the campaign is keeping their eyes on some of those areas ... right around Atlanta where the votes are still being counted right now. They know that if they do well there and those Democratic-leaning areas, they're going to be on track to have a good night."
Where tallies stand in metro Atlanta
Amid the tight race so far, here's what percentage of the expected vote remains uncounted in several Democratic-leaning metro Atlanta counties:
DeKalb County: 35%
Fulton County: 33%
Cobb County: 15%
Gwinnett County: 10%
FiveThirtyEight analysis: What a Warnock win could signal for national Republicans
FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver gives an analysis of the potential Warnock victory: So if the trend here holds, Republicans are going to wind up not picking up even a single Democratic-held Senate seat. That’s pretty hard to do. Even in 1998 and 2002 (relatively bad midterms for the opposition party), they did pick up at least one Senate seat while others flipped in the other direction.
Walker loss would be 'indictment' against GOP, says Pence's former chief of staff
Marc Short, former Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, said Tuesday night as vote counting continued that while the race remained close, he expected outstanding ballots from Atlanta and suburban counties to favor Warnock.
"I would anticipate that you'll see Sen. Warnock widen his lead, which if that is the case, I think it's an incredible indictment against the Republican Party in Georgia because we'll have lost three Senate races within two years in a state where Joe Biden currently has a negative 18 approval rating," Short told "ABC News Live Prime" anchor Linsey Davis.
"I think it is an unfortunate circumstance for Republicans if it does unfold the way I anticipate it will over the last 24% of the vote," Short added.
Pressed on whether there should be a party "reckoning" over candidate quality -- an issue that plagued the GOP this cycle despite polling showing voters disproving of Democrats over inflation and crime - Short told Davis: "I think that reckoning is already happening, it began with the midterm results a month ago."
Watch more from Short's appearance on ABC News Live below.
Walker acknowledges defeat: 'We put up one heck of a fight'
Walker acknowledged defeat at his election night party on Tuesday, admitting in a speech to supporters that media outlets had projected he lost to his Democratic opponent.
"But one of the things I said … when they called the race as they didn't know much, but one of the things I want to tell all you is you never stopped dreaming," he said.
"I'm not gonna make any excuses now, because we put up one heck of a fight."
The Trump-backed Walker, who has enjoyed an accomplished football and business career and is a father and two-time husband, said his run for the Senate was the "best thing I've ever done in my whole entire life."
He continued on to deliver largely hopeful remarks, encouraging his voters to keep casting their ballots and believe in the country.
"I don't want any of you to stop believing in America. I want you to believe in America and continue to believe in the Constitution and believe in our elected officials. Most of all, continue to pray for them because all the prayers you've given me, I felt those prayers," Walker said.
"I want to thank all my team as well [as] team Herschel because they put up with a lot, and I want to thank all my donors as well because you guys, without you, I couldn't have done what I've done."
Walker noted a "tough" journey for his wife -- a possible reference to some of the personal controversies that plagued his campaign, including some accusations he denied as political smears.
"I'm going to acknowledge my wife, Julie, because she's with me and she'd been through a tough time," he began.
"But I want to say that I want to thank all of you as well, because we've had a tough journey."
Walker ended by saying he was "never gonna stop fighting."
"Because I always am a winner and we all winner, so we all winners, and that's what I want to say, well, winners, and I want to say God to the good God."