Good morning. It's Wednesday, Jan. 6, and we're covering the results of two hotly contested Senate races in Georgia, a joint session of Congress, and a decision in the shooting of Jacob Blake. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Race Called for Warnock

Two key runoff elections in Georgia went down to the wire overnight, with one race still too close to call. The outcome of both will determine which party controls the US Senate.

In the first race, Raphael Warnock (D) leads incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) by 1.2%, or roughly 54,000 votes, as of this morning. The Associated Press called the race for Warnock overnight, though Loeffler has not conceded. If projections hold, Warnock—who currently leads Atlanta's iconic Ebenezer Baptist Church—would be the first Black senator from the state, and the 11th Black senator in US history. 

The second race between incumbent Sen. David Perdue (R) and challenger Jon Ossoff remains tighter. As of this morning, Ossoff leads Perdue by 0.4%, or about 16,300 votes. If the margin is less than 0.5%, candidates can request a recount.

Less than 2% of ballots, primarily mail-in votes, remain uncounted. Republicans need to win one of the two races to maintain control of the Senate. Should Democrats win both, the chamber would have a 50-50 split with Vice President-elect Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) acting as the deciding vote. Track results here.

Electoral Certification

Congress meets in a joint session today to count the votes cast by the Electoral College, the last step in formalizing the results of the 2020 presidential election. Typically a ceremonial-like process in modern times, at least 13 Republican senators are expected to join more than 140 Republican House members in objecting to the results of certain states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona.

The day's procedures are determined by the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Vice President Mike Pence will preside as each state's results are read, one at a time. Any member of Congress may object to an individual state's results. If at least one member of both the House and Senate object, each chamber adjourns for up to two hours, after which both vote on whether to accept or reject the state's vote. To uphold an objection—and discard the votes—a majority in both the House and Senate must approve. See a deep-dive on the process here.

The Dec. 14 Electoral College vote favored Joe Biden, 306 to 232. Because Democrats control the House, and at least 21 Republican senators have said they will support the results as is, any objections appear unlikely to change the outcome.

Some have suggested Pence has the authority to reject a state's electors, or introduce a new slate of electors in challenged states. Legal experts say such a move falls outside his constitutionally mandated role, and would establish a precedent where incumbent candidates overturn election results on an ad hoc basis. Pence is anticipated to stick to the traditional duties, advisers said yesterday.

In related news, thousands of President Trump supporters are planning rallies in the nation's capital to coincide with the certification.

No Charges in Blake Shooting

Wisconsin officials announced yesterday no charges would be brought against a police officer involved in the August shooting of Jacob Blake. District Attorney Michael Graveley said the investigation concluded that prosecutors would not be able to disprove Officer Rusten Sheskey acted in self-defense. 

Blake, a Black resident of Kenosha, Wisconsin, was shot four times in the back as he attempted to enter his car after resisting arrest. Sheskey, who fired seven shots in total, said Blake turned toward him holding a knife; investigators found a knife on the floorboard but could not corroborate whether Blake was holding it at the time of the shooting. The incident sparked violent protests in Kenosha and nationwide over excessive police force, following months of unrest over the May death of George Floyd. Blake was left partially paralyzed and had parts of his small intestine and colon removed. Protesters marched peacefully through downtown following yesterday's decision, with no incidents reported. 

Watch the full news conference here. 

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IN THE KNOW

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> US stock markets bounce back up (S&P 500 +0.7%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +1.0%) as investors await Georgia Senate election outcomes (More)

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"Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty."

- Teddy Roosevelt

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