Already termed as a key juncture in Joe Biden’s presidency, the Georgia Senate runoffs have been toppling records one after the other. On January 1, Reuters reported that a record three million early votes had been cast in the two Georgia runoff elections. Now, a detailed analysis by Axios says that approximately $500 million were spent, collectively by both parties for advertisementz in the two races.

For one seat, Republican Senator David Purdue is contesting against Democratic Jon Ossoff. On the other seat, Republican Kelly Loeffler is contesting against Democratic Raphael Warnock.

According to Axios, the $500 million spent on luring votes in two months, makes Georgia the most expensive senate race. The Perdue-Ossoff runoff has seen $253 million spent whereas Loeffler and Warnock have spent $238 million. The ‘most expensive’ title was held by New York City (2020) before Georgia made a mark in US history.

Further breaking down the numbers, Axios revealed that nine of the top ten highest-spending advertising Senate races were in the 2020 election cycle. With healthy income from outside groups, the Republicans beat the democratic spending by $50 million across both races.

However, it is local broadcast that has been the most favorable medium, prolonged advertising blackouts on social media acting a hurdle.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris– who will assume office by January 20– would want a win in Georgia to be their first bold statement. Of the 100 seats in the Senate, the Republicans currently hold 50 and if the Democrats manage one of the two seats in Georgia, Biden administration’s bills won’t rely on Grand Old Party.

The Democrats have a tough challenge ahead of them in the Peach state. Georgia has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in 20 years. But if Jon Ossoff, a 33-year-old documentary producer, and pastor Raphael Warnock, 51, both win, Democrats will control the Senate, handing Biden all levers of political power in Washington.

“Something like this has never happened before and probably never will again. Two seats, from one state, in one election, will decide Senate control. It’s just unprecedented,” Charles Bullock, a political scientist at the University of Georgia told Bloomberg.