On Wednesday morning, Sen. Chuck Schumer, who may soon become Majority Leader of the Senate, depending on the results of one of the two Georgia runoff elections, celebrated the Peach State's results, naming $2,000 stimulus checks as one of the first things Democrats will address. 

 

What You Need To Know

  • Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the results of the Georgia runoffs on Wednesday, naming $2,000 stimulus checks as one of the first things Democrats will address

  • Rev. Raphael Warnock is projected to defeat Republican Incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler; Jon Ossoff leads David Perdue by almost 18,000 votes

  • Schumer said Democrats would move to bring $2,000 stimulus checks to the floor as a first priority, an effort that failed last month under Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

  • If Ossoff wins his race, once President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are sworn in, Schumer would be the first Jewish majority leader of the Senate

 

"We sure did not take the most direct path to get here, but here we are," Schumer said, smiling. "It feels like a brand new day."

After Rev. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in Tuesday’s election and the other Democrat, Jon Ossoff, appeared to be close to doing the same, leading incumbent David Perdue by almost 18,000 votes, the U.S. Senate seemed likely to shift to Democratic power, with Vice President Kamala Harris presiding over the chamber. 

The Associated Press has still not called one of the two Georgia races. With 98% of the vote in, Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, was leading Perdue by 16,370 votes. Most major news organizations also have not yet declared a winner. In the other Georgia runoff election, the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the Democratic challenger, is defeated Sen. Kelly Loeffler, also a Republican incumbent, according to an Associated Press projection.

Schumer said Democrats would move to bring $2,000 stimulus checks to the floor as a first priority, an effort that failed last month under Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"Help is on the way. And we have two new senators coming to help," Schumer added.

In a statement earlier Wednesday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer wrote, "For the first time in six years, Democrats will operate a majority in the United States Senate – and that will be very good for the American people,"

Schumer called himself Senate Majority Leader for the first time in the statement. If Ossoff wins his race, once President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are sworn in, Schumer would be the first Jewish majority leader of the Senate.

“As Majority Leader, President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris will have a partner who is ready, willing and able to help achieve a forward-looking agenda and deliver help and bold change to the American people," Schumer said. “For too long, much-needed help has been stalled or diluted by a Republican-led Senate and President Trump. That will change with a Democratic Senate, Democratic House, and a Democratic President. 

Schumer said he spoke with President-elect Joe Biden earlier Wednesday, but he said he had yet to speak with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Schumer spoke shortly before the House and Senate readied to meet for a joint session to count states’ electoral votes and affirm President-elect Biden’s win.