Why is there a runoff in Georgia?
A political scientist explains why it is so unusual nationally.
12 now.
Election day has passed, but georgia voters will have another election to participate in.
There will be a u-s senate race runoff election in january between republican senator kelly loeffler and democrat raphael warnock.
News 12's brian armstrong explains why this rare event is happening, and what it means for georgia and the country.
Georgia was the only state to have 2 seats open for the senate ... one is between republican david purdue and democrat jon ossoff ... the other will go to a runoff so the winner has to get a majority obviously with 20 people running there was no chance anyone was going to get a majority.
So now here will be another election in january between the top two voter getters ... republican kelly leffler and democrat raphael war- nock.
If a runoff sounds new to you, your not alone.
That's real uncommon only us in louisiana have such a general election runoff everywhere else whoever gets the most votes wins.
He says georgia voters aren't free from campaign ads yet.
I think you can count on groups that have spent many millions of dollars trashing the other candidate there will be lot of negativeadvertising as we saw on the purdue ossoff race.
It alienates voters because if you watch the advertising and that race you today i don't want either one of them to be a us senator if what i'm hearing is true they're both terrible people.
Ellinger says georgia is turning into a swing state shown by the senate runoff and even more so - by the presidential race.
Some people thought that 2018 election might've been an anomaly but now i think it's a pattern 2018 and 2020 the democrats and the republicans have essentially split the vote state wide.
Brian armstrong news 12 now now let's take a look at some of the election results from last night.
In tennessee, republican bill hagerty won the state's open u-s senate seat.
He defeated marquita bradshaw, who's an environmental justice activist.
Hagerty will replace g-o-p senator lamar alexander, who decided not to run for re- election.
"and to the people of tennessee, i am overwhelmed by your trust and your confidence in me.
I appreciate and i am overwhelmed by the history of this moment.
I look forward to serving you at the very best of my ability as your next senator from tennessee.
" also in tennessee, chuck fleischmann was re-elected to his u-s house seat.
He defeated democrat meg gorman, who's from chattanooga, securing a sixth term.
Fleischmann says he's thankful to get to serve once again.
"fortunately every time i have run, i have won in the general election all of the 11 east tennessee counties.
That was the case tonight.
I'm so so thankful for that.
The voters have spoken.
We had a great night.
I'm looking forward to going back and representing the people of he 3rd district once again.
Serving on the appropriatons committee, bringing those much needed federal dollars really to our entire state.
Rally in Ringgold for Kelly Loeffler and her campainn
