(CNN) On Thursday, Senate Democrats got a bit of an unexpected boost when Jon Ossoff eked above the 50% plateau in the party primary and, in so doing, avoided a runoff for the right to face Republican Sen. David Perdue in Georgia in the fall. In clearing the 50% mark, Ossoff -- along with national Democrats -- avoids what would have been a two-month runoff that would have not only been costly but also would have truncated the timeline to rally behind the eventual nominee. (Nota bene: Both of Georgia's US Senate seats are up in November because Loeffler's appointment only carries through this election; she is seeking to fill the final two years of former Sen. Johnny Isakson's term.) "Here's the reality: The state of Georgia is in play," Perdue said in late April, according to an audio recording of a call with "Women for Trump" obtained by CNN. "The Democrats have made it that way."

Source: CNN June 11, 2020 22:30 UTC