Pres. Barack Obama's Statement on Georgia Senate Runoff Elections

My friend John Lewis is surely smiling down on his beloved Georgia this morning, as people across the state carried forward the baton that he and so many others passed down to them. 

I want to congratulate Reverend Raphael Warnock on his election as Georgia’s next U.S. Senator—and while we’re still waiting on final results in the other runoff, it’s clear that last night’s showing, alongside President-Elect Biden’s November victory in Georgia, is a testament to the power of the tireless and often unheralded work of grassroots organizing and the resilient, visionary leadership of Stacey Abrams. Georgia’s first Black senator will make the chamber more reflective of our country as a whole and open the door for a Congress that can forego gridlock for gridlock’s sake to focus instead on the many crises facing our nation—pandemic relief for struggling families, voting rights, protecting our planet, and more. 
 
Democrats in Georgia and across the country should feel good today. But the past four years show us that even outside of election season—and outside of races that garner national attention—we’ve got to remain engaged in civic life. From police reforms to gerrymandering decisions, many levers of real and lasting progress are found at the state and local levels, and further advancements depend on us vigilantly honoring the precious, sometimes fragile gift of the American experiment. In recent years, our institutions, our democracy, and truth itself have been greatly tested by those who’ve chosen to prioritize personal gain or political ambition over our democratic principles. And even a good election will not eliminate those threats. 
 
Yet we should also remember that in two weeks, we will inaugurate a new president. He will have a chance to work with a new Senate and House on the business of the American people. If we want to protect the gains we’ve made, achieve even more progress in the years to come, and reinforce the foundations of self-governance on which our country rests, there’s no better path to follow than the one forged by the determined, organized, and confidently hopeful people of Georgia.