{"id":41071,"date":"2020-11-04T16:52:28","date_gmt":"2020-11-04T16:52:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/11\/04\/armed-services-committees-and-the-election-heres-what-we-know\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:11:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:11:36","slug":"armed-services-committees-and-the-election-heres-what-we-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2020\/11\/04\/armed-services-committees-and-the-election-heres-what-we-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Armed Services committees and the election: Here\u2019s what we know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 As results for key congressional races and the presidency<\/a> continue to roll in, several Senate Armed Services Committee leaders are still battling tough races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here is what we do know, as of mid-afternoon Thursday. This story will be updated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Georgia Republican Sen. David Perdue<\/a>, the chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee, faces a possible runoff against Democrat John Ossoff, in what would have been a vital pickup for Democrats for seizing control of the Senate. It\u2019s still too soon to call the race between Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump for the state\u2019s 16 electoral votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Perdue fails to capture 50 percent of the vote, he would face a runoff election Jan. 5. Georgia\u2019s other Senate race will also be on the January ballot, with Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock facing Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler. To win the Senate, Democrats would have to gain three seats if Biden prevails against Trump, or four seats if Trump wins the election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Senate Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Thom Tillis<\/a>, R-N.C., led challenger Cal Cunningham by 96,000 votes and declared victory Wednesday, but Cunningham refused to concede while more than 117,000 absentee ballots were outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Senate Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee Chairman Dan Sullivan<\/a>, R-Alaska, on Thursday morning appeared to have a 60,000-vote lead on Independent challenger Al Gross, with only half the votes counted. However, Alaska\u2019s tally is expected to take days as officials count mail-in ballots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa<\/a>, prevailed in similarly tough race. The Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee chair and a member of Senate Republican leadership is also the first female combat veteran elected to Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters<\/a>, the ranking member on the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, prevailed Wednesday night in a razor-tight race against businessman and Iraq war veteran John James. Hours after Biden defeated Trump in the state, Peters was roughly 60,000 votes ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.<\/a>, and ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.<\/a>, both won reelection handily, and if the Senate stays in Republican hands, they will almost certainly stay in their leadership roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\t