Ossoff wins Georgia Senate race as Shapiro secures another term in Pennsylvania

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won another term representing Georgia in Tuesday’s election, according to Associated Press projections, defeating Republican US Representative Mike Collins. The result brought Democrats closer to control of the Senate, with Ossoff holding a seat in one of the country’s most competitive Senate contests.

Collins had the backing of US President Donald Trump, who won Georgia by 2 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. Ossoff’s victory demonstrated Democrats’ ability to defend a key battleground despite Trump’s success there two years earlier. The Jewish senator’s reelection kept the Georgia seat in Democratic hands as the party sought control of the chamber.

In Pennsylvania, Jewish Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro was also declared the winner of his reelection race. Shapiro is considered a potential Democratic contender for the presidency in 2028. His victory secured another term as governor alongside the party’s successful defense of Ossoff’s Senate seat in Georgia.

Democrats were also expecting a Senate victory in North Carolina, where Roy Cooper was expected to defeat Republican Michael Whatley. A Cooper win would give Democrats their first Senate seat in the state since 2008, adding to the party’s prospects as results and projections emerged from the contests described in the report.

In Illinois, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton was expected to beat Republican Don Tracy in the race to replace Senator Dick Durbin. The veteran Democratic senator is retiring from political life. The expected result would put Stratton in the seat held by Durbin and retain it for the party.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker was set to secure a third term following his defeat of Republican challenger Justin Murphy. His result was among several Democratic victories expected in northeastern states, where the party’s Senate incumbents were positioned to keep their seats.

In Massachusetts, Senator Ed Markey was projected to win against Republican John Deaton. Markey had already overcome a challenge for the Democratic nomination in a primary earlier this year before facing Deaton in the general election.

Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed was expected to win election to a sixth term. In Delaware, Senator Chris Coons was projected to defeat Republican Michael Katz, completing the group of northeastern Senate races in which Democratic incumbents were expected or projected to prevail.