Herschel Walker didn't call Raphael Warnock to concede the Georgia Senate race, leaving the task to a staffer: AJC

• Herschel Walker didn't personally call Raphael Warnock to concede the Georgia Senate race, per the AJC.

• A Walker deputy instead contacted Warnock's staff to make a congratulatory call, the newspaper said.

• Warnock defeated Walker in the runoff election, giving Democrats a 51-49 majority in the Senate.

Republican Herschel Walker didn't personally call Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock to concede Tuesday's hotly-contested Georgia Senate race, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Warnock — who was projected as the winner by DDHQ and other leading outlets well before midnight — on Tuesday night addressed his supporters at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta as he exalted in winning the runoff election, making him the only statewide Democrat to emerge victorious in the 2022 midterms in the Peach State.

Walker, a former University of Georgia football standout and ex-NFL player, spoke to his supporters at the College Football Hall of Fame — also in downtown Atlanta — where he spoke highly of his campaign, giving praise to his supporters for giving the opposition "one heck of a fight."

But Walker did not directly call Warnock to personally offer a concession statement or a congratulatory message, leaving the task to a deputy staffer "to reach out to the Democrat's staff to congratulate him for the win," according to the newspaper.

With nearly all votes in statewide, Warnock leads Walker 51.4%-48.6%.

The victory gives Democrats a 51-49 majority in the US Senate.

In the November general election, Warnock led Walker 49.4%-48.5%, but because no candidate reached the 50% threshold, a December runoff election was triggered, which gave the candidates four additional weeks to campaign across the state.

During his speech, Warnock spoke glowingly of his mother and his two children, who were all in the audience, while also thanking his campaign staffers who helped him get through a primary, a general election contest, and a runoff all in the same year.

At the Walker event, many attendees prayed throughout the night, and the first-time candidate urged his supporters to never stop believing in the country.

"One of the things I want to tell all of you is you never stop dreaming. I don't want any of you to stop dreaming," he said during his address.

"I don't want any of you to stop believing in America. I want you to believe in America and continue to believe in the Constitution and believe in our elected officials. Most of all, continue to pray for them," he added.

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