Raphael Warnock wins crucial Georgia runoff election – as it happened

Incumbent beats Republican Herschel Walker to strengthen Democratic majority

Not long ago, Herschel Walker took a slim lead, 50.4% to 49.6% (Georgia state results page here) over Raphael Warnock, but a lot of the experts and reporters I'm following here at Guardian central in New York are reporting pessimistic noises from the Republican's campaign.

Here's Dave Wasserman, US House editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report:

A pattern emerging: Walker is hitting/getting close to the numbers he needs in the reddest, most rural counties. But he's falling a good bit short of the numbers he needs in small/midsized cities.