Kelly to take Senate oath of office on Wednesday

PHOENIX (AP) — Democrat Mark Kelly is scheduled to take is seat in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday after state officials formalized his victory.

Kelly is taking office more than a month ahead of others who won November Senate races because it was a special election to finish the last two years of the term of John McCain, who died in 2018.

The GOP’s Senate majority will fall to 52 members when Kelly replaces Republican Martha McSally, who was appointed to McCain’s seat but lost to Kelly in the election.

Control of the next Senate will come down to two runoff elections in Georgia. If Democrats win both, the Senate would be split 50-50, and incoming Vice President Kamala Harris would cast tie-breaking votes.