CBS News reports that Democratic candidate Jon Ossof has been elected to the Georgia Senate, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue. While the legislative body is now a 50-50 tie between Democrats and Republicans, incoming vice president Kamala Harris will have the crucial tie-breaking vote.

Ossoff earned 2,222,133 votes, defeating Perdue by a 0.56% margin, putting him just above the 0.5% margin required to trigger a recount, the New York Times reports.

The results come two months after President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris won the White House. 

Ossoff posted a video address to his Twitter account early Wednesday (Jan. 6) morning, as his vote lead increased to a seemingly insurmountable number. However, major news outlets hadn’t officially called his victory.
“I want to thank the people of Georgia for participating in this election. Everybody who cast your ballot, everybody who put your faith and confidence in our democracy's capacity to deliver the representation that we deserve,” he said, adding, “Let's emulate the spirit of courage and heroism of those who have given so much to the health response to this crisis, as we unite as a people to overcome this challenge of COVID-19, and to build a republic that lives up to our highest ideals of equality in God's eyes, and equal justice under the law.”

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