JON OSSOFF

Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton Thursday told the Associated Press he had 'a mixture of disappointment and anger' when he heard that the voting rights bill failed to pass in the Senate. (Jan. 20)

Sens. Jon Ossoff and Josh Hawley introduced competing bills to ban members of Congress and their immediate family members from trading stocks while in office.

Congress often talks tough about reining in Wall Street. But now there's growing pressure on Capitol Hill to curb lawmakers' own trading.

Democrat Stacey Abrams is calling on Congress to act on voting rights as she launches a second bid to become Georgia's governor.

Georgia Republican David Perdue is furthering his embrace of debunked claims that Georgia’s 2020 presidential election was wrongly decided as he runs for governor.

Former President Donald Trump has set out to reshape the GOP in his image across the nation’s top political battlegrounds, sparking bitter primary battles.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is likely to face a prominent challenger for the 2022 Republican primary for governor, former Sen. David Perdue.

Stacey Abrams' 2022 Democratic campaign for Georgia governor is likely to be different than her narrow 2018 loss.

Medicaid issues are turning up as winners in President Joe Biden’s social budget framework even as divisions force Democrats to hit pause on far-reaching improvements to Medicare.

Supporters of Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp are fighting back against Donald Trump and their own party leaders.

Democrats are fretting about how they’d divide a shrinking pie amid signs that negotiations over President Joe Biden’s massive domestic policy bill could yield a smaller serving of health care spending.

Broken security cameras at federal prisons across the U.S. have allowed inmates to escape from prison undetected and hampered investigations into misconduct.

The rewards of an early Donald Trump endorsement were on display Saturday evening in Georgia.

In the nation’s capital on Saturday, multiracial coalitions of civil, human and labor rights leaders are convening rallies and marches to urge passage of federal voter protections that have been eroded since the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

President Joe Biden has honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm at the White House.

A coalition of civil rights groups releasing a report on hate crime laws says the protections against bias-motivated violence are inconsistent and lack uniformity nationally.

Three Democratic U.S. senators from states that have refused to expand Medicaid want the federal government to set up a mirror plan to provide health insurance coverage to people in those states.

Brian Kemp often tells supporters to “keep choppin’ wood,” his way of urging a calm, deliberate approach — even in politics.

Sen. Raphael Warnock is still the prominent freshman who helped his party win control on Capitol Hill.

Boosted by President Biden's win and two U.S. Senate victories, high-profile Democratic candidates in Georgia are running for statewide office in a way unseen in years.

The divisions among Georgia Republicans after the 2020 election are being laid bare at the party's annual convention.

Black women are stepping up as Democratic candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate as the party looks to expand its footprint in Sun Belt battlegrounds.

They represent two closely contested Sun Belt states. But Georgia's Democratic senators are taking more progressive positions, while Arizona's are opting for a more centrist approach.

Republicans in the Senate Rules Committee rejected an amendment to the For The People Act that would ban states from restricting volunteers from handing out food or water to people standing in line to vote. The amendment was proposed by Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia – where Republicans have recently passed a law that criminalises giving out food and water to voters at the polls – as part of his Voter Access to Water Act. Republicans have claimed that allowing people to hand out food and water would encourage electioneering at the polls, which is already illegal.

Nothing like a prominent life in public service to help your other career as a romance novelist.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden traveled to Georgia on Thursday to attend a car drive-in rally outside of the Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth.

Before his first in-person political rally as president, Biden visited former president Jimmy Carter at his home.

Georgia Republican Doug Collins, a favorite of former President Donald Trump, says he doesn’t plan to run for governor or U.S. Senate in 2022.

Senate Democrats are holding new Georgia voting rules up as a warning as they push a broad legislative overhaul of U.S. elections.

About two dozen protesters turned out near Augusta National to object to Georgia’s new voting law during the third round of the Masters.

While a tempest brews outside Magnolia Lane over Georgia’s voting rights law, Augusta National would prefer to keep the focus on blooming azaleas, pimento cheese sandwiches and tricky greens.

Amid the glow of baseball’s opening day, there's a cloud looming over the All-Star Game still more than three months away.

The sweeping rewrite of Georgia’s election rules that was signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp represents the first big set of changes since former President Donald Trump’s repeated, baseless claims of fraud following his presidential loss to Joe Biden.

(AP Photo/Ben Gray)ATLANTA – A man who survived the shooting that killed his wife at an Atlanta-area massage business last week said police detained him in handcuffs for four hours after the attack. Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds said in an emailed statement Monday afternoon that his office would not have any further comment on the case and is focusing on the investigation and prosecution. In all, seven of the slain victims were women, six of them of Asian descent. Gonzalez said they put him in handcuffs and detained him for about four hours, according to the website. “Only when they finally confirmed I was her husband, did they tell me that she was dead," he said.

A 21-year-old white man is accused of killing eight people, six of them women of Asian descent, at three Atlanta-area massage businesses Tuesday. Hundreds of people of all ages and varied racial and ethnic backgrounds gathered in Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, and in similar rallies across the country, waving signs and chanting slogans. Otis Wilson, a 38-year-old photographer who's Black, said people need to pay attention to the discrimination those of Asian descent face. They moved to Atlanta four years ago and got involved in community organizing, last summer pulling together an event to support Black women victimized by police violence. AdHunt, who's Black, joined Saturday's rally to “show Black and Asian solidarity,” adding “I think it’s amazing.

President Joe Biden speaks after meeting with leaders from Georgia's Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, Friday, March 19, 2021, at Emory University in Atlanta, as Vice President Kamala Harris listens. We cannot be complicit.”“They’ve been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed; they’ve been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed," Biden said of Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. But Biden and Harris instead spent much of their visit consoling a community whose growing voting power helped secure their victory in Georgia and beyond. As the fastest-growing racial demographic in the U.S. electorate, Asian Americans are gaining political influence across the country. The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, typically dominated by Democrats, has its largest roster ever, including Asian American and Pacific Islander members and others who represent significant numbers of Asian Americans.

FILE - In this April 3, 2019, file photo, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks during the National Action Network Convention in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)During his visit to Atlanta on Friday, President Joe Biden will meet with former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who has been widely credited with helping flip the former Republican stronghold blue. But Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will still meet with Abrams and thank her for her work, the White House confirmed on Thursday. AdThe meeting will come as Republicans in the Georgia state General Assembly push several proposals to make it harder to vote in the state. Ad“Stacey, you’re changing Georgia,” Biden said.

“We are witnessing right now a massive and unabashed assault on voting rights and voter access unlike anything we have seen since the Jim Crow era,” Warnock said Wednesday. Democrats cast their legislation as a way to render most of the state GOP moves moot. AdBoth the Voting Rights Act restoration and the wider bill face an uphill path in the 50-50 Senate as long the current filibuster rule requires major legislation to get 60 votes to pass. His bid will test whether Democrats have staying power in Georgia after decades of Republican dominance in federal elections. AdIn that same era, Warnock said, his mother worked in tobacco and cotton fields — generations after the Civil War and the 13th Amendment had ended slavery.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leaves the chamber just after the Senate narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Senate passage sets up final congressional approval by the House next week so lawmakers can send it to President Joe Biden for his signature. Ad“Lessons learned: If we have unity, we can do big things,” Schumer told The Associated Press in an interview after the vote. The outcome “gives us optimism about doing more big things in the future — because it worked,” he said. He and Schumer spoke often as the Senate leader steered the pandemic aid to approval.

Golden State Warriors guard Brad Wanamaker, right, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LeBron James is going to Georgia this weekend for more than the NBA All-Star Game. “Look what we made happen, what our voices made possible,” James says in the 51-second spot. Ad“We’ve already been engaged to some degree in Georgia, which is Ground Zero for this wave of voter suppression efforts,” Tyler said. “This isn’t the time to put your feet up or to think posting hashtags and black squares is enough,” James said to conclude the ad.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)ATLANTA – Fueled by Black turnout, Democrats scored stunning wins in Georgia in the presidential and U.S. Senate races. But one aspect of their plans, a proposal to eliminate early voting on Sundays, seems specifically targeted at a traditional get-out-the-vote campaign used by Black churches, referred to as “souls to the polls." AdIn Georgia, Republicans control state government and have introduced dozens of legislative measures that would restrict voting access. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, also a Republican, has called for a photo ID requirement for absentee voting but has yet to back a specific proposal. After states expanded access to mail-in and early voting during the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 70% of all ballots cast nationwide came before Election Day.

Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who is running for reelection, speaks during a campaign event at Peachtree Dekalb Airport in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday, November 2, 2020. Georgia Republican David Perdue said Tuesday he will not mount a new bid for the Senate in 2022, abruptly ending speculation he had stoked just one week earlier. The seat is held by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in one of two Georgia runoffs on Jan. 5. The victories by Ossoff and Warnock delivered effective control of the Senate to Democrats by the narrowest or margins. Perdue's potential challenge in 2022 was expected to be against Warnock, who is serving out the term of Republican ex-Sen. Johnny Isakson.

Many of the proposals target absentee voting by mail after relentless false claims by former President Donald Trump and his allies, including some Republican state senators. Senate Bill 71 would limit who is allowed to vote absentee by mail, a method currently available to any Georgian without needing an excuse. AdBroad, no-excuse absentee voting was introduced in Georgia by a Republican-controlled legislature in 2005. “Now, GA Senate Republicans introduced (a) bevy of bills to try to stop multi-racial, multi-age coalition that elected them from voting. House Speaker David Ralston said in January that he was not convinced of the need to end no-excuse absentee voting, for one.

The pivotal Georgia runoff election this month was decisive in handing Democrats the majority in the Senate. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – Easing off a stalemate, the Senate moved forward Tuesday with a power-sharing agreement in the evenly-split chamber after Republican leader Mitch McConnell backed off his demand that Senate Democrats preserve the procedural tool known as the filibuster. The stand-off between McConnell and new Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had all but ground the Senate to a halt in the early days of the Democratic majority and threatened President Joe Biden's agenda. “I'm glad we're finally able to get the Senate up and running,” Schumer said Tuesday as he opened the chamber. Schumer's office said the Republican leader had no choice but to set aside his demands.

Sen. Raphael Warnock was Lewis’ pastor and stood at his bedside before Lewis died. It seeks to restore portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. Democrats and voting rights groups argue that the ruling has led to a cascade of changes in many states that have disenfranchised voters, including polling place closures. They are the first Democrats to win a U.S. Senate election in Georgia since 2000. “My friend John Lewis planted the foundation of this Georgia over his career,” Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey said in a tweet.

Harrison, the longtime Democratic Party official, is President-elect Joe Bidens choice to lead the national party, according to multiple party officials. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File)COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Democratic National Committee elected Jaime Harrison of South Carolina as chair on Thursday, signifying an early alignment between newly inaugurated President Joe Biden and state party leaders around the country. Harrison was a key liaison with state party leaders with whom Perez sometimes had rocky relationships. Harrison, 44, comes into the job with overwhelming support from state party leaders, making his elevation a sign of relative unity in a party organization often beset by infighting among state leaders and Washington power players. Thursday's meeting also included a video tribute to Don Fowler, a former national party chair and mainstay of South Carolina politics, who died last month at age 85.

In a first vote, the Senate confirmed Biden's nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines. The new Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged colleagues to turn the spirit of the new president’s call for unity into action. The three Democrats complete a Senate narrowly split 50-50 between the parties, but giving Democrats the majority with Harris able to cast the tie-breaking vote. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to soon transmit to the Senate the House-passed article of impeachment against Trump, charged with incitement of insurrection, a step that will launch the Senate impeachment trial. Progressive and liberal Democrats are eager to do away with the filibuster to more quickly advance Biden’s priorities, but not all rank-and-file Senate Democrats are on board.

In a first vote, the Senate confirmed Biden's nominee for director of national intelligence, Avril Haines late Wednesday, overcoming Republican opposition to approve his first Cabinet member. They are a diverse group bringing several firsts to the Senate, along with Schumer's rise as the first Jewish majority leader of the Senate. They join a Senate narrowly split 50-50 between the parties, but giving Democrats the majority with Harris able to cast the tie-breaking vote. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is expected to soon transmit to the Senate the House-passed article of impeachment against Trump, charged with incitement of insurrection, a step that will launch the Senate impeachment trial. Progressive and liberal Democrats are eager to do away with the filibuster to more quickly advance Biden’s priorities, but not all rank-and-file Senate Democrats are on board.

With Ossoff, Padilla and Warnock seated, Democrats hold the narrowest possible majority in the Senate. New Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday that lawmakers would get to work on implementing the "lengthy agenda" set by President Biden, such as addressing the coronavirus pandemic. Schumer said that the Senate would work differently under a Democratic majority, implicitly drawing a contrast with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who as majority leader blocked several bills passed in the House from moving forward in the Senate. However, in his first speech as minority leader, McConnell indicated that he did not believe Democrats had a mandate, given their narrow majority in the Senate. Democrats will have such a narrow majority in the Senate that it could be difficult for Congress to pass some of Mr. Biden's legislative priorities.

Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California took office, bringing the Senate party split to 50-50. Democrats took control of the Senate on Wednesday when three new members of the party were sworn in, giving a boost to President Joe Biden 's ambitions in the White House. Though Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats will decide what the Senate pursues, they face a challenge in finding Republican support to pass most legislation. This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate," Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader. Some Democrats have called to get rid of the tool to allow bills to pass with a simple majority vote.

Seeing them campaign and celebrate together highlighted the vital partnership between Black and Jewish leaders in our struggle toward equality. It reminded me of that historic photo of King holding up pictures of the martyred civil rights colleagues James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. Yet many of us were robbed of the chance to fully appreciate and celebrate these historic milestones. Or the sight of the Confederate flag being paraded through the rotunda while rioters searched for members of Congress and the vice president. Congratulations, Madam Vice President..Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation.

“As it relates to the Atlanta Dream, we understand a sale of the franchise is close to being finalized,” the league said in a statement. An Atlanta Dream spokeswoman said the team had no comment on the impending sale at this time. Brian Kemp, didn't immediately sell the team, WNBA players started to endorse and campaign for her opponent, Democrat Raphael Warnock, who defeated Loeffler in Georgia's runoff election on Jan. 5. Loeffler, a wealthy businesswoman who had closely aligned herself with Trump, has been an owner of the Dream since 2011. The Dream would be the second WNBA franchise sold this month.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA – For some, helping to get out the vote during Georgia's U.S. Senate runoffs meant writing checks for campaigns. Brandon Litman took a different approach by making thousands of pieces of art to connect the Democratic candidates with voters. After arriving in Atlanta last month, Litman started showing up at Ossoff and Warnock campaign rallies, painting custom yard signs for supporters. Litman soon connected with the Ossoff campaign, which let him tag along to events in other Georgia cities. But he said none of them were as popular as his work centered on the Georgia Senate races.

The certification by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger officially seals Warnock and Ossoff's victories over their Republican opponents in the Jan. 5 runoffs. Once Warnock and Ossoff are sworn in, there will be a 50-50 partisan divide in the Senate, giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote. Biden in November became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state since 1992, while Warnock and Ossoff are the first Democrats to win a U.S. Senate election in Georgia since 2000. Loeffler gave a farewell speech from the Senate floor Tuesday, where she thanked her supporters and wished Warnock well. Perdue's term ended Jan. 3, while Loeffler remains in the Senate until Warnock is sworn in because she was appointed to fill Isakson's unexpired term.

In this Jan. 6, 2021, photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., walks from the Senate floor to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday explicitly blamed President Donald Trump for the deadly riot at the Capitol, saying the mob was “fed lies” and the president and others “provoked” those intent on overturning Democrat Joe Biden’s election. Ahead of Trump's historic second impeachment trial, McConnell's remarks were his most severe and public rebuke of the outgoing president. The GOP leader is setting a tone as Republicans weigh whether to convict Trump on the impeachment charge that will soon be sent over from the House: “incitement of insurrection.”“The mob was fed lies," McConnell said. Some Republicans want to halt the impeachment trial.

___HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN’S INAUGURATION:President-elect Joe Biden appeared at a memorial for COVID-19 victims at the Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday evening. ___4:45 p.m.President Donald Trump does not mention his successor, Democrat Joe Biden, by name in his farewell address. A person familiar with Pence’s schedule cited “logistical challenges” in getting from the air base to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremonies on Wednesday. The information was passed from the National Guard Bureau to the D.C. National Guard. ___10:45 a.m.Three new Democratic senators are set to be sworn into office after President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration Wednesday.

That will help President-elect Joe Biden push his legislative agenda, and higher taxes are expected to be a major part of his plans The estate tax could be a prime target for Democrats. Households will file about 4,100 federal estate tax returns for people who died in 2020 — only approximately 1,900 of them will be taxable, according to estimates from the Tax Policy Center. Alvina Lo chief wealth strategist for Wilmington TrustThose returns could generate roughly $16 billion in estate tax liability for 2020, the center estimated. "Even with a Democratic president, House and Senate, the estate tax may not be at the top of their agenda," she said. In other words, the window to use the huge exemption to avoid estate taxes may remain open for another year.

Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris campaigns for Democratic U.S. Senate challengers the Rev. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is slated to speak at Tuesday's event, “We Are One,” which will also honor the historic nature of her being the first Black and South Asian woman to become U.S. vice president. Black voters nationwide helped deliver Biden’s presidency, overwhelmingly supporting him from the start of his White House bid. The event will pay homage to the legacy of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, as well as Black sororities and fraternities. It'll be hosted by Terrence J and feature Leslie Jones, DJ D-Nice, and Black cultural icons such as Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, and Rapsody.

Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris campaigns for Democratic U.S. Senate challengers the Rev. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is slated to speak at the event, “We Are One,” which will also honor the historic nature of her being the first Black and South Asian woman to become U.S. vice president. Black voters nationwide helped deliver Biden’s presidency, overwhelmingly supporting him from the start of his White House bid. The event will pay homage to the legacy of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, as well as Black sororities and fraternities. It'll be hosted by Terrence J and feature Leslie Jones, DJ D-Nice, and Black cultural icons such as Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, and Rapsody.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020 file photo, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris speaks as she and President-elect Joe Biden introduce their nominees and appointees to key national security and foreign policy posts at The Queen theater, in Wilmington, Del. – Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will resign her Senate seat on Monday, two days before she and President-elect Joe Biden are inaugurated. Harris is the first woman ever elected vice president — and the first Black woman and first woman of South Asian descent to serve in that office. The wins by Ossoff and Warnock in Georgia ensured a 50-50 Senate, positioning Harris as the tie-breaking vote for Democratic control. Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, have enjoyed conversations and debates over how Emhoff should be addressed when Harris takes office.

Faith leaders condemn attack on U.S. Capitol Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II joins CBSN to discuss the attack on the U.S. Capitol and what Raphael Warnock's and Jon Ossoff's historic Senate victories mean for the incoming Biden administration.

Raphael Warnock delivers a sermon during a church service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Warnock is senior pastor at Ebenezer, the church where the late Dr. Martin Luther King once also pastored. (AP Photo/John Amis)In his first sermon since being declared a winner in Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff election, the Rev. Raphael Warnock on Sunday addressed last week’s deadly Capitol Hill riot that all but overshadowed his historic victory. Sunday’s sermon showed Warnock falling back on a prophetic tradition of the Black American church in which preachers weave Scripture with criticisms of racism, militarism and poverty.

Just two months later, Georgia voters made history again in two competitive runoff elections by sending Democrats to the Senate for the first time in two decades. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, will be the first Black senator from Georgia. Strong turnout from Black voters and other voters of color fueled Warnock and Ossoff's historic wins in Georgia – the culmination of on-the-ground organizing and voter mobilization efforts years in the making. More than 4.4 million ballots have already been counted in the runoffs, shattering turnout records for such elections in Georgia. Roughly 30% of the registered voters in Georgia are Black and 92% of Black voters supported the Democratic Senate candidates, according to NBC exit polls.

Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock's projected historic wins come on the heels of President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Georgia in November. While these numbers are impressive for a runoff, they did not match the even larger rates in more Democratic counties. While it was a small chunk of the electorate, accounting for 4% of the early vote, every vote is critical in tight races. Six in 10 of these new early voters were under 40, and four in 10 were Black — groups that were favorable to Ossoff and Warnock. An analysis by Charles Stewart of MIT showed Warnock over-performed Ossoff by relatively more in Democratic precincts and in precincts with more White voters, suggesting that straight-ticket Democratic voting was less common among White voters than among Black voters.

Historic wins tip control of U.S. Senate to Democrats Democrat Jon Ossoff beats incumbent Georgia Senator David Perdue while Democrat Raphael Warnock is the projected winner in the state's other runoff against incumbent Kelly Loeffler. Neither Perdue nor Loeffler have conceded. Mark Strassmann reports.

Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff picked up two Senate seats in Georgia, and those victories won control of the U.S. Senate for their party. Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock received over 90% of their support, which was even higher than the 88% who voted for Joe Biden in November. Ossoff and Warnock each got the support of two-thirds of voters under 30, compared to Biden's 56% in November. Just like November, seven in 10 White voters voted Republicans, including majorities of both White men and White women, and White voters of all age groups and education levels, and overwhelmingly by White evangelicals, who made up more than a third of all voters. The survey included in-person interviews with Election Day voters, those at early voting locations and phone interviews that measured the views of absentee/by mail voters and early voters.

Democrats secure Senate control as Warnock, Ossoff clinch Georgia runoffs Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won the Georgia runoffs, handing control of the Senate to Democrats. Mark Strassmann reports from Atlanta, including analysis from CBS News political correspondent Ed O'Keefe and CBS News' chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett.

Without a GOP-controlled Senate, Biden has greater leeway to pass climate change legislation. The goals of Biden's climate plan are in line with targets set by other major economies including China and the European Union. But experts are optimistic for some broader bipartisan-backed climate legislation to pass in upcoming years. Additionally, one of Biden's earliest expected executive orders would require that every government agency and department tackle climate change. "President-elect Biden and the administration he is building understand this and are ready to act," Deatrick said.

Jon Ossoff will win his Georgia Senate runoff race, CBS News projects, beating incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue. Ossoff, 33, will be the youngest Democrat to serve in the U.S. Senate since President-elect Joe Biden, who assumed office in 1973 at the age of 30. When he was sworn in, Mr. Biden became the sixth youngest senator ever at 30 years, 1 month, and 14 days. Former Oklahoma Senator Don Nickels, a Republican, was the youngest senator since Biden when he was sworn in at 32 years old in 1981. He is the youngest Republican ever elected to the Senate.

Ossoff and Warnock are the first Democrats Georgia has sent to the Senate since 2005, another signal that Georgia may be turning blue after President-elect Joe Biden won the state in November. This dynamic will make it easier for Mr. Biden to begin implementing his agenda upon entering office. It all but guarantees that Mr. Biden's Cabinet nominees will be confirmed quickly, without a Republican majority to delay the process. The Republican majority in the Senate had previously blocked dozens of President Obama's nominations in the waning years of his term. With Democrats in control of the Senate, Mr. Biden will see his judicial nominees confirmed for the next two years at least.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff of Georgia speaks to supporters during a rally on November 15, 2020 in Marietta, Georgia. Ossoff faces incumbent U.S. Sen. David Purdue (R-GA) in one of two January 5 runoffs for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Democrat Jon Ossoff beat Republican David Perdue in one of Georgia's two Senate runoffs, NBC News projected Wednesday, sealing his party's control of Congress and the White House. The victories set up a 50-50 split in the Senate, giving Democrats a slim majority with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote. He and Warnock — who will become the first African American senator from Georgia and the third sitting Black senator — sealed the first Democratic Senate majority since 2014.

Jessica McGowan | Getty ImagesDemocrats will now have a narrow lead in the Senate, which may give President-elect Joe Biden's tax plan a better chance at passing. Increasing the top individual income tax rate to 39.6%: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set a top marginal individual income tax rate of 37%. Biden's proposal would tax unrealized capital gains. Biden's proposal calls for lowering this limit to $3.5 million per individual in bequeaths and $1 million in gifts. The corporate tax rate is currently 21%, but Biden's proposal calls for increasing it to 28%.

A $15 federal minimum wage edged closer after Tuesday's Georgia runoff election, which seems likely to flip Senate control and unify government under the Democratic Party. Such a pay boost would more than double the current federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, but would likely face resistance from some Republicans and business groups. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, won the U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia on Tuesday, beating the Republican incumbent, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, according to NBC News projections. Democratic victories in those contests would give Democrats control of the Senate, the House and the presidency. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who typically votes with Democrats, said in a Tuesday tweet that a $15 minimum wage was at stake in Georgia's runoff election.

Georgia runoffs and the path ahead for Democrats and Republicans CBS News projects Democrat Raphael Warnock will beat out Senator Kelly Loeffler in Georgia, while votes are still being counted in the runoff between Jon Ossoff and GOP Senator David Perdue. Political contributors Leslie Sanchez and Antjuan Seawright spoke joined CBSN to discuss about the futures of the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the effort by some GOP lawmakers in Congress to object to Electoral College votes.

Democratic candidates for Senate Jon Ossoff (L) and Raphael Warnock (R) bump elbows on stage during a rally with US President-elect Joe Biden outside Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 4, 2021. The U.S. Senate runoff races in Georgia currently point to a victory for Democrats. That could also mean a win for one issue that has become more prominent in recent days — $2,000 stimulus checks. The idea of the $2,000 checks was a big issue in the Georgia races. Raphael Warnock who ran against incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, and Democrat Jon Ossoff who faced off against Republican Sen. David Perdue.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Georgia's runoff election "changes everything" during a Wednesday briefing, saying shifts in the Senate will return money to New York and help the state fight the spread of the coronavirus. An Ossoff win would give the Senate a 50-50 split along party lines, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaker vote. And New Yorkers have been crime victims as far as I'm concerned by the theft of the federal government," he said. The state saw its first confirmed diagnosis of the new, apparently more contagious virus variant this week, detected in Saratoga Springs. Total coronavirus hospitalizations in the state Wednesday stood at 8,655 and there were 161 new deaths due to the virus.

Jon Ossoff claims victory in close Georgia Senate race as vote count continues Democrat Jon Ossoff claimed victory in the Georgia Senate runoff race against Republican Senator David Perdue as votes were still being counted. CBS News has not yet projected a winner in the race, but Ossoff held a razor-thin margin over Perdue on Wednesday morning. Watch Ossoff's remarks.

Trump and Republicans face reckoning as Democrats turn out in Georgia CBS News projecting Democrat Raphael Warnock will win his Georgia Senate runoff, but the other election between Democratic Jon Ossoff and Republican Senator David Perdue is still too close to call. Now, Republicans and President Trump face a reckoning after losing the White House and possibly the Senate. CBS News senior national correspondent Mark Strassmann reports from Decatur, Georgia, and CBSN political reporter Caitlin Huey-Burns joins CBSN from Atlanta with the latest developments.

Democrat Jon Ossoff declared victory Wednesday morning in one of two Georgia Senate runoff elections. CBS News, however, has not projected a winner in the race, although Ossoff currently holds a slight edge over his Republican opponent David Perdue. "This campaign has been about health and jobs and justice for the people of this state, for all the people of this state, and they will be my guiding principles as I serve this state," Ossoff said. Noting the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Ossoff urged Georgians to "unite now to beat this," and vowed to support economic relief to both the state and the American people. Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff speaks with members of the media at Dunbar Neighborhood Center on January 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Warnock projected to beat Loeffler, Ossoff gains edge over Perdue in Georgia Senate runoffs Democrats have picked up at least one Senate seat in Georgia's special elections, according to CBS News data. CBS News projects Reverend Raphael Warnock has defeated his Republican opponent, incumbent Senator Kelly Loeffler, while, Jon Ossoff is now taking the lead over Republican incumbent Senator David Perdue. Mark Strassmann reports.

How outcome of Georgia Senate runoffs could affect Biden's agenda If both Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff can prevail in Tuesday's runoff election, Democrats would take control of the Senate. CBS News correspondent Nikole Killion joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano to discuss how the outcome of these races could impact President-elect Joe Biden's chances of moving legislation through Congress.

Both Senate runoff elections in Georgia were too close to call early Wednesday, according to NBC News, as Democratic Rev. The contests will determine which party holds the Senate majority for the next two years. Warnock led Loeffler with roughly 98% of the vote counted early Wednesday morning, according to NBC. "I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election." Both elections went to runoffs after no candidate garnered more than 50% of the vote in the general election.

Control of the Senate hangs in the balance as Georgia votes in runoffs Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are hoping to unseat Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the Georgia runoffs. The GOP needs just one win to hang onto control of the Senate. Mark Strassmann reports.

President-elect Joe Biden speaks in Atlanta, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, as he campaigns for Georgia Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. President-elect Joe Biden went to Atlanta a day before the Georgia Senate runoff to do more than boost the two Democrats in Tuesday's election. As he stumped for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, Biden stressed that votes in Georgia will ripple beyond the Peach State to shape the success of the incoming president's agenda nationwide. One GOP win means Republicans hold the chamber — and more sway over what policy emerges from Washington. Still, a Senate led by GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can steamroll Biden at every turn — on legislation, executive branch nominees and judges.

Julián Castro on Latino and youth vote in Georgia Senate runoffs Former Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro is campaigning on behalf of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock ahead of Georgia's two Senate runoffs on Tuesday. Castro joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" to discuss why the Latino and youth vote are crucial to Democrats' victory.

Joe Biden speaks at rally for Georgia Senate runoffs "Georgia, the whole nation is looking to you," President-elect Joe Biden said at a rally for Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock the day before the state's runoff elections will determine which party controls the Senate. Watch Biden's full remarks.

President-elect Joe Biden revved up the Democratic base in Atlanta on Monday, ahead of the all-important Senate runoff election in Georgia. Mr. Biden urged voters to cast their ballots for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, as they face off against current Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. "We won three times here," Mr. Biden joked, a reference to the Republican challenges against the election results that still ultimately resulted in his victory. Mr. Biden isn't the only high-profile person in the Peach State on Monday. Mr. Biden won Georgia by more than 11,00 votes, one of the biggest surprise flips in the 2020 presidential race.

Randal Nardone, a co-founder of investment firm Fortress, gave $2,800 to Perdue that same day. Jane Goldman, who runs real estate firm Solil Management, gave $2,800 to both Perdue and Loeffler through the last two weeks of December. In late December, Robert Grammig, a partner at law firm Holland & Knight, gave $2,800 to Loeffler. Karen Pritzker, an investor and billionaire heir to the Pritzker family fortune, gave $2,800 to Ossoff on Dec. 23, records show. George Van Amson, a longtime managing director at Morgan Stanley, gave $1,000 to Warnock's campaign Dec. 14.

Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff discusses "a new era in American politics" Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff has emerged as the best funded Senate candidate in U.S. history. His challenge to unseat Republican incumbent Senator David Perdue, and Georgia's other contest between Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler will decide which party controls the Senate chamber for the first two years of the Biden administration. Just two days out from Election Day, Ossoff joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss everything from the Trump administration's "outrageous incompetence" to his thoughts on expanding the Supreme Court.

Georgia Democratic Senate candidates Raphael Warnock (R) and Jon Ossoff (L) bump elbows during a "It's Time to Vote" drive-in rally on December 28, 2020 in Stonecrest, Georgia. More than 3 million Georgia residents have already cast their votes in the two Jan. 5 runoff races, a historic turnout in a contest that determines whether Democrats or Republicans control the U.S. Senate this year. If Perdue and Loeffler win their races, Republicans would hold a 52 seat Senate majority that would allow them to block some of President-elect Joe Biden's agenda. The Democratic caucus would have 50 seats if Ossoff and Warnock win. And a tie-breaking vote from Vice President-elect Harris would give Democrats control of the Senate after six years of a GOP majority.

Sen. David Perdue of Georgia entered quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, his campaign said Thursday, less than a week before the Republican's runoff election against Democrat Jon Ossoff. "This morning, Senator Perdue was notified that he came into close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for COVID-19," Perdue's campaign said in a statement. "Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor's recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine," the campaign said. "The Senator and his wife have been tested regularly throughout the campaign, and the team will continue to follow CDC guidelines. She did not test positive for the virus.

Religious Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, or AAPIs, in Georgia and across the country are not a monolith. Yet amid a Black-White political and religious divide, Asian American Christian communities represent untapped voter networks for political parties. But candidates on both sides of the aisle have largely overlooked the role of religion for Asian American voters who could help decide an election expected to come down to razor-thin margins. A 2012 Pew Research Center study found that a plurality of Asian Americans in the U.S., about 42%, identify as Christian. "There hasn't been the same kind of concentrated effort to Asian Americans of any religious background or Asian Americans as a whole amongst the Democrats until pretty recently."

More than 275,000 political ads have aired in the state since Nov. 5, according to AdImpact, which tracks TV and radio spending. AdvertisementThe two Democratic candidates, Warnock and Jon Ossoff, lead their Republican opponents, Sens. The closest thing to a respite from political ads comes in the 3 a.m. hour. “We are using a scalpel, not a bludgeon,” said the group’s political director, Sacha Haworth. Republicans and their allied groups’ ads warn of the consequences of handing control of the Senate to Democrats.

Washington — President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will head to Georgia to campaign for Democratic Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff just before voters head to the polls January 5 for the pair of runoff elections. Mr. Biden will travel to Atlanta to stump for the two Democrats on Monday, January 4, his campaign announced. The upcoming visits to Georgia will be the second trips for both Mr. Biden and Harris to boost support for the Democrat hopefuls ahead of the runoff elections. Ossoff raked in $107 million between October 15 and December 15, making him the best-funded Senate candidate of all time. Early voting began December 14, and as of Monday, more than 2.3 million Georgia voters have cast ballots during this period, with 1.5 million voting in-person and another 800,000 by mail.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Jon Ossoff (R) and Raphael Warnock (L) of Georgia wave to supporters during a rally on November 15, 2020 in Marietta, Georgia. The two Democratic Senate candidates, who have advocated for larger direct payments, wasted no time in responding to Trump's move and criticizing their opponents. In the crucial Georgia Senate runoff races, Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are using President Donald Trump's latest push for larger stimulus checks to bash incumbent GOP Sens. Donald Trump is right, Congress should swiftly increase direct payments to $2,0000," Warnock said in a statement Wednesday. Perdue and Loeffler have blamed Democrats for stalling efforts to pass a relief package.

Supporters listen as Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff speaks at a news conference in Grant Park after the election in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. November 6, 2020. Dustin Chambers | ReutersWall Street and Washington are operating, these days, on the assumption that Republicans will retain control of the Senate after at least one Republican wins a seat in the Georgia Senate runoffs come Jan. 5. However, Georgia surprised the nation and went for Joe Biden in the presidential election. Stacey Abrams, the influential Democratic politician who delivered Georgia to Joe, is working hard to get both Democratic Senatorial candidates to the Upper House. Contrary to popular Wall Street wisdom, that might just be good for the markets.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be traveling to Georgia Monday to campaign with Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock. Mr. Biden traveled to Georgia earlier this week to campaign with Ossoff and Warnock and stressed the importance of winning the two seats to carry out his agenda. I want to get something done — not two senators who are just going to get in the way because look, getting nothing done just hurts Georgia," Biden told supporters this week. Harris, too, has stressed the importance of winning the Georgia races, saying in a recent interview that "those two seats in Georgia are critical." The Biden campaign has made major investments into both races.

With control of the Senate at stake, gun rights groups are pouring millions of dollars in outside spending into the Jan. 5 runoff election in Georgia to support two Republican candidates. Meanwhile, gun control groups are far behind in supporting the two Democratic candidates monetarily, which could impact their chances of winning as well as President-elect Joe Biden's hopes of passing gun control legislation in 2021. Pro-gun groups such as the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America are backing incumbent GOP Sens. Other gun rights groups have also invested in outside spending for the Senate runoff races, FEC data show. "This is why the God, Guns & Life PAC supports Loeffler and Perdue — they will protect gun rights."

Senator Democratic nominees Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on December 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. The ad, Biden's first in support of Warnock and Ossoff, also came days after early voting kicked off in the state. If Ossoff and Warnock win, each party will have 50 seats and Vice President Kamala Harris will be the tie breaker. "Let me be clear: I need Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the United States Senate to get this done," Biden warned. "We need you to get out there and vote for Jon Ossoff as well as Raphael Warnock.

Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff is eager for his rematch against incumbent GOP Senator David Perdue on January 5. Though Perdue won more votes than he did in the November election, falling under half a point short of an outright win over Ossoff, the Georgia Democrat thinks the outcome may be different in the runoff. The general election was split: Democrat Joe Biden ended up winning the state, but Republicans across Georgia and in the two Senate races attracted the most votes. Ossoff noted, "I got more votes than any Georgia Democrat running statewide in the history of this state," and he pointed out that "Georgia has become younger and more diverse every year for the last decade." Ossoff always mentions Warnock in his stump speech and highlights the fact that Warnock is the pastor of church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached.