Democrat Raphael Warnock projected winner in 1st Georgia Senate race, unseating Kelly Loeffler

Democrat Raphael Warnock, the 51-year-old pastor at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, has won Tuesday's runoff race against incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), The Associated Press and NBC News projected early Wednesday morning. Warnock already declared victory, but Loeffler has not conceded.

Assuming Warnock's win is certified, he will be the first Black U.S. senator from Georgia and the first Black Democrat elected to the Senate in the South. Loeffler was appointed to the seat in 2019, to fill in for retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson (R). Warnock would serve until Isakson's term ended in 2022.

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