Biden: Georgia voters ‘rejected Ultra MAGAism’ in reelecting Warnock

President Biden said that voters in Georgia “rejected Ultra MAGAism” in reelecting Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) to the Senate in the runoff election on Tuesday. 

Biden said on Twitter that he called to congratulate Warnock on his victory shortly after multiple media outlets projected him as the winner in his reelection bid against Republican Herschel Walker, who was backed by former President Trump. 

“Tonight Georgia voters stood up for our democracy, rejected Ultra MAGAism, and most importantly: sent a good man back to the Senate. Here’s to six more years,” Biden said. 

Warnock led Walker by nearly 3 points in the runoff, as of early Wednesday morning, after neither candidate received the necessary majority to win in the first round of voting last month. Warnock led Walker on Election Day by about 1 point, but the Libertarian nominee won 2 percent of the vote. 

Vice President Harris also congratulated Warnock, saying that voters wanted their senator to fight for them. 

“Georgia voters said they wanted a Senator who would fight for them—and made it a reality when they reelected @ReverendWarnock to the U.S. Senate,” she tweeted. 

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted that Warnock’s win is a “victory” for the state and for democracy. 

“Senator Warnock’s well-earned victory is a victory for Georgia, and a victory for democracy and against MAGA Republican extremist policies,” he said. 

Trump had handpicked Walker to run for the Senate seat and endorsed him in his primary against other opponents. The former president has received criticism from members of his own party, including from allies, over several of his endorsed candidates losing key races, ensuring that the GOP would fail to win the Senate and only win a narrow majority in the House. 

Warnock’s reelection means that Democrats will expand their narrow majority in the Senate to 51 seats. The party had already clinched a majority in the body, but the additional seat means it will not need to rely on a tiebreaking vote from Harris for the most hotly contested legislation and nominations for judicial and executive roles. 

The one-seat majority will also mean that Democrats will hold majorities on the Senate’s committees instead of having to split membership evenly with the GOP.