Senator Charles Schumer weighs in on historic senate runoffs in Georgia

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Sen. Chuck Schumer poised to become next majority leader
Stacey Sager has more on the implications of the Georgia runoff election.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York Senator Charles Schumer weighed in on the historic Senate runoffs in Georgia.

Democrats won both Georgia Senate seats - and with them, the U.S. Senate majority - as final votes were counted Wednesday, serving President Donald Trump a stunning defeat in his last days in office while dramatically improving the fate of President-elect Joe Biden's progressive agenda.

Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, Democratic challengers who represented the diversity of their party's evolving coalition, defeated Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler two months after Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state since 1992.

"I am optimistic that Jon Ossoff will win in Georgia, Democrats will take back the Senate, and we'll get America moving again," Schumer said before the projection was made.

RELATED | Latest results on Senate runoff election in Georgia

The decision of who gets control of the senate was made with the Jon Ossoff and David Perdue race.

Democratic candidate Osoff's win flips the Senate and will make Senator Schumer the first Jewish majority leader and the first from New York.

Schumer is anticipated to become Senate majority leader.

Mayor Bill de Blasio offered an early congratulations to Senator Schumer during his Tuesday morning press conference.

"Brooklyn's own, New York City's Chuck Schumer," de Blasio said. "He could not be better for this city and for this nation."

He added that having Senator Schumer as majority leader would, "allow us to finally get the support we need to move forward as a city and as a nation."

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