Georgia: Where The Race Stands

The winner of the presidential race has not yet been determined in Georgia, which remains one of the most closely watched battleground states of the 2020 campaign. Ballots continue to be counted in what could well help determine the fate not just of the presidency but also the balance of power in the Senate and the final composition of the House of Representatives. Here is where the state currently stands:

The presidential race

As of midday Wednesday, President Trump was leading former Vice President Joe Biden in Georgia by about 80,000 votes, according to The Associated Press.

About 200,000 ballots remain uncounted in the state, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said during a press conference late Wednesday morning, adding that he believes votes will be counted later in the day.

He added that a sizable portion of uncounted ballots are in Fulton and DeKalb counties in metro Atlanta that are overwhelmingly siding with Biden. The secretary of state said there are more than 50,000 uncounted early and absentee ballots in DeKalb County. Officials in Fulton said they have about 67,000 ballots left to scan and adjudicate, and hope to finish by later Wednesday night.

In the lead-up to the election, NPR classified Georgia as a toss-up race, given that Biden held a slim polling lead in the state and the state's tradition of voting Republican. As the race continues to tighten, Georgia's 16 electoral votes would be critical for either candidate.

With the returns as close as they are, it's important to note that Georgia does not have an automatic recount trigger margin. Candidates are permitted to request a recount, funded by the state, if the margin of victory is less than half a percentage point.

The U.S. Senate

No winner has been declared in either of Georgia's two Senate races. One race is too close to call, while the other, a special election contest, is advancing to a January runoff.

In the special election race, Democrat Raphael Warnock held a slight lead over Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, but neither candidate was able to secure the needed 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. By law, if no candidate gets over half the vote, the top two candidates advance to a runoff.

In the second Senate race, Republican Sen. David Perdue is ahead of his challenger, Democrat Jon Ossoff, by about 160,000 votes. But again, ballots continue to be counted in metro Atlanta, which is leaning toward Ossoff.

The House of Representatives

Eyes are also on Georgia's 7th Congressional District, where Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux currently leads Republican Rich McCormick. The district is currently controlled by Republican Rep. Rob Woodall, who defeated Bourdeaux in 2018 by just over 400 votes.

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