Elections in Georgia: We Explain the Stakes 3:35
(CNN) -
Two very important second-round elections in Georgia will determine which party will control the United States Senate.
Democrats Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are looking to defeat current Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively.
The races will determine whether Republicans retain control of the Senate, which will greatly affect the type of legislation President-elect Joe Biden could pass in the upper house once he takes office later this month.
If Ossoff and Warnock win the election, the Senate would be tied 50-50 for Republicans and Democrats.
But Vice President-elect Kamala Harris could act as a runoff vote, giving Democrats control of the Senate.
If the Republicans win one or both seats, the Republican Party will retain control of the Senate.
Biden, who won Georgia in the presidential election, and President Donald Trump traveled to the state on Monday to campaign for their party's candidates.
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Why are there second round elections?
Under state law, Senate elections advance to a second round if no candidate exceeds 50% of the vote.
That was the case for Georgia's two US Senate seats after the November elections.
Perdue received 49.73% of the votes and Ossoff received 47.95%.
For his part, Warnock received 32.9% compared to Loeffler's 25.91% in the special election.
Who are the candidates?
Kelly loeffler
In December 2019, Kelly Loeffler was appointed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp to the Senate seat previously held by Republican Johnny Isakson.
The latter withdrew due to health problems.
Loeffler, who took office in January 2020, was a political novice, a prominent Republican donor, and a businesswoman.
She was an executive at a financial services firm in Atlanta, but left the job to serve in the Senate.
She is also known as a co-owner of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream.
She had considered running for Senate in 2014.
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Raphael warnock
Warnock, a Democrat, is senior pastor of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which has long been a haven for the fight for black freedom.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became co-pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church with his father in 1960.
In a video announcing his candidacy last year, Warnock described his journey from the Savannah Kayton Homes project to the pulpit.
"Some might ask why a pastor thinks he should serve in the Senate," Warnock said.
“I have always thought that my impact does not stop at the door of the church.
In fact, that's where it starts.
Jon ossoff
Ossoff, a Democrat, rose to national prominence during a special 2017 House of Representatives election that the political newcomer nearly won in a conservative stronghold in Georgia.
He ultimately lost to Republican Karen Handel in what was at the time the most expensive House race in history.
Ossoff describes himself on his campaign website as a media executive, investigative journalist, and small business owner.
He began working with a former BBC journalist Ron McCullagh in 2013, then used the money from an inheritance to buy a stake in McCullagh's research film company and renamed it Insight TWI, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The company has produced documentaries on mass killings and sexual slavery by ISIS, and a corruption investigation of judges in Ghana.
Ossoff is trying to unseat Perdue.
David perdue
Perdue, a close ally of Trump, has served as a senator from Georgia since his election in 2014.
Perdue has served on the Armed Services, Banking, Budget and Foreign Relations Committees, according to his Senate website.
He had never run for public office before 2014, according to his Senate website.
And before he ran for office, he was CEO of the Reebok sports brand and Dollar General stores.
Perdue's term technically expired on Sunday when a new Congress took office, leaving his seat temporarily vacant, according to Sydney Butler, chief of staff for the Senate secretary, who oversees the House's operations and procedures.
Officials from the Georgia governor's offices, Brian Kemp and Perdue, say that even if he is projected as the winner on Tuesday, the seat will remain vacant until the second-round results are certified, which could take up to two weeks.
What time does CNN coverage start?
CNN's coverage of the runoff elections begins at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Tune in to CNN or CNN International, or through mobile devices through CNN's apps for iOS and Android, and through CNNgo's apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, and Android TV.
You can also follow CNN's election coverage live on CNN.com.
There will also be coverage through CNN en Español and CNNEE.com.
- CNN's Madison Park, Eric Bradner, Clare Foran, Donald Judd, Alex Rogers and Ryan Nobles contributed to this report.
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