Dems Take Control of Senate With Ossoff, Warnock, and Padilla Sworn In

Three new Democratic senators from Georgia and California were sworn in shortly after President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday. Vice President Kamala Harris swore the trio in, officially moving control of the U.S. Senate from Republican hands into the waiting grasp of the Democratic Party. The Senate balance is now 50-50, with Chuck Schumer as the majority leader and Harris as the tiebreaker.

Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff became the first Black and Jewish senators from Georgia, respectively, after defeating incumbent Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in a runoff election this month. Ossoff, 33, is also the youngest senator to serve since Biden became a senator at the age of 30. Newly sworn-in Sen. Alex Padilla, who is the first Latino senator from California, will be taking over Harris’ seat.