Georgia residents vote Tuesday in Senate runoff to choose between Warnock and Walker

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Georgia will vote on Tuesday to decide the final Senate contest in the country. Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock is up against Republican football legend Herschel Walker, with Warnock raking in advantage in the state's early vote that saw record polling. What happens Tuesday will determine whether Democrats get a 51-49 Senate majority or control a 50-50 chamber. Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tiebreaking vote.

Warnock is the state’s first Black senator and senior minister of the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached. Walker is a former University of Georgia football star who is following a similar style as Donald Trump's. Whoever wins will be the first Black person elected from Georgia to a full Senate term.

Also Read | Control of Senate uncertain as Georgia heads to a December runoff. What does it mean?

If Warnock manages to score a win, Georgia’s status as a battleground ahead of the 2024 presidential elections will be reaffirmed. However, a win for Walker might mean that Democratic gains in the state are a bit limited. Notably, Georgia Republicans took every other statewide contest last month during the midterms.

Warnock was ahead of Walker by about 37,000 votes out of almost four million cast, but failed to get a majority, leading to the runoff. Around 1.9 million people have already cast their votes by mail and during early voting. This is a good sign for the Democrats as their supporters usually prefer this method of voting. For Republican, it is the day of voting that rakes in numbers.

Walker has been marred by a few controversies, such as meandering campaign speeches and allegations that he paid for the abortion of two former girlfriends. 

On the final day before the runoff, each candidate attended a string of events in areas they have the strongest voter appeal. Senator Jon Ossoff joined Warnock in the Atlanta area along with 25-year-old Rep.-elect Maxwell Frost, and rapper Killer Mike. 

Warnock has won the special election in 2021 held to pick someone to serve our GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term. On Monday, during a campaign rally, he said that he is confident of a win and has secured enough voters to choose him to serve a full term.

“They’ve seen that I will work with anybody that helps me to do good work for the people of Georgia. I think they’re going to get this right. They know this race is about competence and character," said the 53-year-old senator. 

Meanwhile, Walker campaigned with his wife and compared the contest to the championships he has played. “I love y’all, and we’re gonna win this election. I love winning championships," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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