Kemp’s campaign declares victory

Republican Brian Kemp’s campaign declared victory Wednesday in the Georgia governor’s race, though Democrat Stacey Abrams insists enough ballots remain to leave open the possibility of a runoff.

The Associated Press has not called the contest.

Ryan Mahoney, a top Kemp campaign adviser, told reporters in a conference call that the numbers show Abrams can’t win and a runoff won’t happen, but stopped short of declaring victory until pressed by an Associated Press reporter. Only then did Mahoney say Kemp is certain of victory and preparing to take office in January.

“We are declaring victory,” Mahoney said. Another campaign official, Austin Chambers, added: “The message here is pretty simple: This election is over, and the results are clear.”

Kemp, Georgia’s secretary of state, was not on the call.

Alexander Zemlianichenko / Associated Press Russian soldiers dressed in Red Army World War II uniform during a parade on Wednesday with St. Basil Cathedral and the Spasskaya Tower in the background in Red Square in Moscow. The parade marked the 77th anniversary of a World War II historic parade in Red Square and honored the participants in the Nov. 7, 1941, parade who headed directly to the front lines to defend Moscow from Nazi forces.