GOP leader: Chambliss in 'fight of his life'

Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, talking with reporters about his election prospects and his Wall Street bailout vote at a press conference at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Oct 2, 2008. (file/Dave Bender)

This central-Georgia military town outside Robins Air Force Base should be a cakewalk on Election Day for Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss. But ask people here if they support him and one finds surprising ambivalence, even hostility.

The mood has changed so much in recent weeks that Georgia Republican Party Chairwoman Sue Everhart says Chambliss is in "the fight of his life."

"I think he will win," Everhart said prior to Georgia's GOP Victory Dinner in Atlanta last Tuesday. "But not by the large margin we expected early on."

Once considered a safe bet for re-election to a second term, Chambliss suddenly appears vulnerable amid a wave of anti-incumbent frustration and economic turmoil.

"I think everybody is just so totally dissatisfied with what's going on in Washington now that we feel like you probably can't get much worse, so you might as well try somebody new," said Jean Hammock, a longtime Republican who listens daily to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.

His newly troubled candidacy is giving Democrats visions of approaching a 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in next month's election, instead of just the four or five seats they had expected to take from Republicans. Democrats control the Senate 51-49.

Chambliss' "yes" vote for the $700 billion financial package earlier this month is the latest in a series of positions that haven't sat well with the conservatives who make up his base. He also faces a potential surge of newly registered Democratic voters excited about Barack Obama's presidential campaign, and a general anti-Republican sentiment after eight years of the Bush administration.

Without question, Georgia remains a GOP stronghold, and Chambliss is still favored over Democrat Jim Martin. The state supported President Bush with 58 percent of the vote four years ago. Martin would need impressive turnout — and perhaps a strong assist from Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley — to win.

But recent polls show Chambliss with a modest lead, but the race tightening. And Democrats relish the possibility of revenge against the man who, in a 2002 campaign ad, criticized Democratic Sen. Max Cleland's commitment to national security even though Cleland lost three limbs in the Vietnam War. Chambliss defeated Cleland with 53 percent of the vote.

Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, head of the Democrats' Senate campaign committee, said Martin and Chambliss are virtually tied, even in polls that Schumer believes don't fully capture Obama's effect on African-American and young voters.

"We're doing extremely well in places we didn't expect to do well," said Schumer. "Georgia was a surprise to us."

The Democratic committee, however, still doesn't list the state as a battleground, and so far hasn't put much money into the race. Schumer declined to say whether it will run ads in Georgia as it has in other competitive races. Georgia is "a state we're taking a very close look at," he said.

Martin has been running television ads throughout the state but trails Chambliss in fundraising. The Democrat has stepped up his attacks in recent days, criticizing Chambliss for his bailout vote and loyalty to Bush.

Chambliss said he always predicted the race would be tight. He knew he had not endeared himself to conservatives by supporting a compromise immigration package that drew him boos at a state GOP function last year and, more recently, championing a bipartisan energy measure criticized by Limbaugh and other conservative commentators.

He also was well aware of the political risks of supporting the bailout package. But he said Congress had little choice but to respond and try to contain economic losses. He's hoping sharp market declines in recent days will strengthen his case that action was urgently needed.

The senator downplayed suggestions that the bailout vote would make or break him.

"I've cast hundreds and hundreds of votes over the last 14 years," Chambliss, a former House member, told reporters before the GOP Victory dinner in Atlanta. "To say any one is going to cost me the election, that's just not the case."

At least one self-described lifelong Republican thinks otherwise. Ron Davis of Dallas, Ga., said he was so infuriated by Chambliss' bailout vote that he set up a Web site http://www.FireSaxby.com

"I never really followed politics closely. This was a wake-up call to me," the 31-year-old information technology administrator said.

Davis said he'll vote for Buckley in November, adding that GOP friends in his neighborhood are also disillusioned with Chambliss.

"I think he should be worried," Davis said.

(The Associated Press)

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Chambliss vying for voters as runoff deadline nears

Chambliss speaking with reporters at a recent press conference at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender/file)

Republican Saxby Chambliss likes to say he never expected to be at the "epicenter of the political world," but that's exactly where he finds himself as he battles for his political survival in the last big election of 2008.

Standing between Democrats and their long-sought 60-seat supermajority in the Senate, Mr. Chambliss heads into Tuesday's runoff against Democrat Jim Martin carrying the weight of the GOP establishment on his shoulders.

"Let's face it, the world is watching Georgia," the 65-year-old freshman senator said Wednesday at a rally in north Georgia. "We have the opportunity to make sure (President-elect) Obama doesn't move us far, far to the left."

His political career began when he won a seat in the U.S. House in 1994. In 2001, he launched what many thought was a hopeless bid to oust Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, a triple amputee wounded in the Vietnam War. A bad knee kept Mr. Chambliss out of the Vietnam conflict.

Mr. Chambliss -- a virtual unknown statewide -- ran a tough campaign against Mr. Cleland, unleashing a TV ad that questioned the veteran's commitment to national security and flashed a photo of Osama bin Laden.

The ad infuriated Democrats, but Mr. Chambliss won the 2002 contest with 53 percent of the votes, helped along by shifting political winds in Georgia. After generations of Democratic control, the state began its swing Republican that year.

In the Senate, Mr. Chambliss emerged as a strong opponent of abortion and supporter of gun rights. He is also known as a reliably pro-business vote and was largely in lockstep with the Bush administration.

As a freshman senator, he rose quickly to become the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He has been the ranking Republican on the panel since the Democrats won control of the Senate in 2006.

Mr. Chambliss also was handed the reins of the influential Republican Majority Fund, a political action committee that raises money for GOP candidates. Fundraising trips for the PAC have allowed him to indulge his love for golf. In Golf Digest's April ranking of Washington's top 200 golfers, he tied for No. 41.

Still, Mr. Chambliss has not always endeared himself to conservatives. He drew boos at a 2007 gathering of Georgia Republicans for supporting a compromise immigration package, which critics likened to amnesty. He later withdrew his support for the plan.

His work championing a bipartisan energy measure was lambasted by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh and other conservative commentators.

This year, he co-authored the five-year, $300 billion Farm Bill derided by some for being loaded with giveaways and rich subsidies for wealthy farmers.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will join Chambliss on Monday at several rallies across the state.

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(AP)

Chambliss wins runoff race

Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss handed the GOP a firewall against Democrats eager to flex their newfound political muscle in Washington, winning a bruising runoff battle Tuesday night that had captured the national limelight.

Chambliss' victory thwarted Democrats' hopes of winning a 60 seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. It came after a bitter monthlong runoff against Democrat Jim Martin that drew political luminaries from both parties to the state and flooded the airwaves with fresh attack ads weeks after campaigns elsewhere had ended.

Minnesota - where a recount is under way - now remains the only unresolved Senate contest in the country. But the stakes there are significantly lower now that Georgia has put a 60-seat Democratic supermajority out of reach.

With 92 percent of the precincts reporting, Chambliss captured 58 percent to Martin's 42 percent. Chambliss' win is a rare bright spot for Republicans in a year where they lost the White House as well as seats in the House and the Senate.

Chambliss portrayed his win as an encouraging sign for Republicans looking to regroup as they head into the next election cycle.

"I'm excited to be the first race that leads us into the 2010 campaign because it'll be a tough fight," Chambliss said at a victory party in Cobb County.

Martin called Chambliss to concede before 10 p.m., then emerged to tell supporters as his voice cracked: "For me and my family and campaign team and all of you this is a sad moment."

Chambliss' mantra on the runoff campaign trail was simple: His re-election was critical to prevent Democrats in Washington from having a blank check. Chambliss, 65, had angered some conservatives with his vote for the $700 billion bailout of the financial services industry and his early support in 2007 for the guest worker provision in President Bush's immigration bill. But fearful of unchecked Democratic dominance, some came back into the GOP fold Tuesday

Martin made the economy the centerpiece of his bid, casting himself as a champion for the neglected middle class. He also linked himself at every opportunity to Barack Obama and his message of change. The Democratic president elect was a no show on the campaign trail in Georgia but did record a radio ad and automated phone calls for Martin.

In the end, Martin, a 63-year-old former state lawmaker from Atlanta, wasn't able to get Obama voters back to the polls in large enough numbers to overcome the Republican advantage in Georgia, which has become an increasingly a reliable red state since 2002.

Turnout was light throughout the state Tuesday. A spokesman for Secretary of State Karen Handel predicted between 18 and 20 percent of the state's 5.75 million registered voters would cast ballots - far less than the 65 percent who voted in last month's general election.

The runoff between the former University of Georgia fraternity brothers was necessary after a three-way general election prevented any of the candidates from getting the necessary 50 percent.

(AP)

Chambliss: fed bailout crucial for Georgians, country

Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss said his vote for the Wall Street bailout was crucial for Georgians. Chambliss was speaking at a press conference in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Oct 2, 2008. (Carl Zornes)

Chambliss says his Senate vote okaying the 700-billion dollar funding measure is in line with public sentiment:

“The overwhelming majority of the american people, and certainly the majority of Georgians, I know, support the Congress as policymakers, making sure that we don’t slide down into a financial depression.”

While Chambliss voted for the measure, all of Georgia's Republican House members opposed it in a vote on Monday. Chambliss says he hopes they will now throw their support behind the hotly debated bailout.

Sen. Johnny Isakson voted for the bill, as did both presidential candidates, Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain.

Chambliss says Georgia's economy could take a hit without it's passage. The House is expected to vote on the measure on Friday.

Talking to reporters at the Senate, Chambliss said:

"We’ve got Georgia banks who are crimped from a credit standpoint and aren’t even able to make automobile loans today,"

"We have major employers who are having their lines of credit cut or in some cases cancelled. And it's going to start costing us jobs.”

Addressing reporters at a press conference at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport the morning after the vote, Chambliss said:

"Taking no action is simply not an option. We simply can't afford for the stock market to have losses of one point two trillion dollars on any kind of regular basis."

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Columbus: GA GOP unites behind McCain

Sen. Chambliss addresses a sparse crowd of convention delegates at the Columbus Civic Center, on Friday, May 16th, 2008. Many more arrived for Saturday's session. (Dave Bender)

Georgia Republicans united behind likely GOP presidential nominee John McCain on Saturday and fired up their faithful members at the party's annual convention Saturday.

Delegates were selected to represent the state at the national GOP convention in September, and a steady stream of elected officials who took the podium said the party needs to come home to its bedrock conservative issues from taxes and immigration to military might and gun rights.

"We've got some work to do. We've got some proving to do,'' said U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Sharpsburg. "The base didn't get lost. We got lost.''

Governor Sonny Perdue urged Republicans to avoid poll-driven "gimmicks'' and suggested there was a damaging disconnect between party leaders in Washington and conservative states like Georgia.

Recent contests in the Bible Belt that have elected Democrats "ought to be a warning around the South and around the United States,'' Perdue said. But, he later told reporters, "I feel very good about Georgia.''

Democrats made gains in 2006 by winning control of the U.S. House and Senate, but Georgia bucked the trend by electing Republicans to a couple of statewide posts that had been held by Democrats.

However, Republicans said they were not taking anything for granted, especially after Democrats cast more ballots in this year's Feb. 5 presidential primary than the GOP.

The main order of business Saturday was to select delegates who will attend the national GOP convention. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won Georgia's presidential primary with strong support from religious conservatives and independents. But on Saturday, John McCain stickers were everywhere and nearly every speech plugged the Arizona senator.

The slate of 30 delegates and 30 alternates selected included prominent supporters of Huckabee, as well as other former GOP contenders including former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; Fred Thompson, the one-time senator from Tennessee; and ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Among the delegates were supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. A vocal group of Paul supporters were also in the stands, according to the Associated Press.

Bickering on the floor turned caustic at times. One delegate demanded a resolution condemning abortion as "prenatal murder.'' Another participant had his microphone turned off when he criticized the war in Iraq.

"I've never seen debate stifled that much,'' said state committee member Brian Laurens, of Ellijay, who said he's been involved in state conventions since 2002.

Turnout by delegates on Friday afternoon's 2 p.m. opening session was light; many arrived later in the evening, and on Saturday. (Dave Bender)

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss on Friday said he'd warned President Bush that vetoing the farm bill could hurt presumptive GOP nominee John McCain in reliably Republican states this fall.

"If they get turned off by Republicans it's going to make it tough for John to get those votes," Chambliss told reporters following his speech.

Chambliss, a loyal Bush ally who is running for re-election, said he told the president that that with his low approval ratings he should avoid alienating voters in agriculture-rich states in the South and the Midwest that have supported him.

White House officials have suggested Bush will veto the bill.

Chambliss, the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, defended the recently adopted bill from critics who said it is heavy on rich subsidies to wealthy farmers.

"That's ridiculous," Chambliss said. He said the bulk of the farm bill spending went to nutrition programs, like food stamps and school lunches. And he argued that individual farmers earning more than $750,000 a year don't qualify for federal aid, under the bill.

Chambliss was asked about the five-year $300 billion farm bill by reporters but he made no mention of it in his speech to the party faithful at the Columbus Civic Center for the kickoff of the state party's convention. Also missing from the speech: Any reference to President Bush.
Bush's dismal approval ratings have many election-bound Republicans steering clear.

Chambliss did talk up McCain and urged Georgians to unite behind the Arizona senator. Georgia went for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in the Feb. 5 primary. Huckabee drew strong support from independents and religious conservatives.

Chambliss made a case for his own re-election to a second-term by issuing a dire warning about what the nation will be like if Democrats win a handful of additional seats in the U.S. Senate. Under Senate rules, Republicans will lose the ability to block the Democrats' agenda.

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(The Associated Press)

Cleland criticizes Chambliss over Viet Nam

Former Democratic Senator Max Cleland of Georgia is accusing Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss of avoiding the Vietnam War "with a trick knee." Cleland, who lost his seat to Chambliss in 2002, has pointed to Chambliss' lack of military service before, but his criticism Friday was unusually direct. In a conference call with reporters, Cleland said Chambliss "got out of going to Vietnam with a trick knee and in many ways he tricked people." In contrast, Cleland said, Chambliss' current Democratic opponent, Jim Martin, served in the war. Chambliss' campaign did not immediately respond. Chambliss received a student deferment from the draft and later was turned down for service because of a bad knee. Martin worked as a noncombat personnel officer in Vietnam, while Cleland served in combat and lost three limbs in a grenade blast during a 1968 mission.

(Associated Press)

Giuliani's turn to stump for Chambliss

Giuliani and Chambliss. (Carl Zornes)

Incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss today welcomed the support of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani is just the latest in a series of national political figures coming to Georgia to support their party this run-off season.

Flanked by police officers and other first responders, Giuliani said Chambliss’ experience is needed back in the Senate:

"His understanding of our intelligence services, his understanding of terrorism, is really surpassed by no one in Washington. And we need people like Saxby Chambliss who has that experience. Having been a first responder himself, having been someone who, from the beginning of his career in Washington, took a great interest in intelligence and improving it."

For his part, Democrat Jim Martin began sending out robo-calls featuring president-elect Barack Obama.

A new poll released by Insider Advantage puts Chambliss ahead of Martin by three percentage points – still within the margin of error.

Sarah Palin is expected to come to Georgia next week to stump for Chambliss. The former vice presidential candidate will travel across Georgia with Chambliss just one day before the election.

Chambliss, Martin rev up for runoff

Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis and Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin and at the GPBTV pre-election debate. (Dave Bender/file)

Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin were in full campaign mode this weekend, trying to coax enough votes to prevail in a Dec. 2 runoff election.


Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis talking with reporters at a press conference held at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender/file)

Chambliss’ camp is preparing for a visit from former GOP presidential candidate John McCain. Martin is meeting with Cobb County Democrats and planned to visit a party phone bank operation in Decatur.

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender/file)

With less than four weeks until they face voters again, neither campaign was waiting for Secretary of State Karen Handel to make it official when she certifies election results next week.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting throughout Georgia, neither Chambliss nor Martin accumulated enough ballots to pull above the needed 50 percent plus one of the vote. The Moultrie Republican is just short, with 49.8 percent. Martin, a former state lawmaker from Atlanta, has 46.8 percent. The race also included Libertarian Allen Buckley, who drew 3.4 percent.

Military and overseas ballots were among the last to be tallied by county officials. To be counted, they had to arrive by Friday.

The state’s most populous county had been set to certify its results Saturday. But a spokesman for Fulton County’s Board of Elections said problems with a faulty memory card delayed the effort.

Voters register to cast their ballot in advance voting at the Fulton Co. Government Center polling station in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender)

Fulton County Board of Elections spokesman Mark Henderson said the problem had been resolved but officials decided to audit the process before making the elections results official. The certification is now expected to take place Sunday or Monday, Henderson said.

Handel’s office has criticized Fulton County for being slow to count thousands of absentee ballots and her office is investigating. Henderson said county workers were exhausted after a marathon Election Day and were sent home for a few hours to rest.

The expected Chambliss-Martin contest is already drawing a national spotlight to Georgia.

The race is one of three unresolved Senate contests nationwide, along with Minnesota and Alaska. All involve Republican incumbents. If Democrats capture all three, it would give them a 60-seat majority in the Senate, a margin needed to block Republican filibusters.

Chambliss’ campaign said they’ve also been in touch with McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, about a possible Georgia visit.

McCain carried Georgia on Election Day by 52 percent to President-elect Barack Obama’s 47 percent.

Nonetheless, Martin has asked Obama to help out, but no word yet on whether he’ll stump for Martin.

Then President-elect Bill Clinton came to Georgia to campaign for Democratic Sen. Wyche Fowler in his 1992 runoff race. But even with the high-profile help, Fowler went on to lose to Republican Paul Coverdell in what was the last U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia.

Martin and Chambliss arguing a point during the GPBTV pre-election debate. At bottom is Libertarian candidate Allan Buckley. (Dave Bender/file)

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Sen. Chambliss resists subpoena in sugar case

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss is resisting a subpoena in a lawsuit against the Savannah-area sugar refinery where 14 people lost their lives in a February explosion. Families of dead and injured workers are suing the management arm of Imperial Sugar for losses stemming from the blast. In hopes of bolstering their case, their attorney wants Senator Chambliss to release information that company officials gave him.

The Senator says, because of his political office, he doesn't have to testify. Mark Tate represents the families. Tate says, "What we have going on here, it begs the question, 'What does Saxby have to hide?'"

A Chambliss' spokeswoman isn't talking about the issue, but Chambliss friend, Augusta attorney David Hudson, is. Hudson says, the Senator has no choice. Hudson says, "He might even like to testify just to clear the air, but under the rules of the Senate, he should not do so." Hudson says, the Constitution also protects Chambliss.

Ultimately, a judge will decide if the Senator will have to appear in a case with lots of potential for political fallout. Chambliss is currently fighting for re-election of his Senate seat against Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

Senate candidates spar in final debate

Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley, Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, and Democratic candidate Jim Martin argued their respective positions at the Atlanta Press Club debate, held at Georgia Public Broadcasting's Television studios in Atlanta, Nov. 2, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Georgia's three U.S. Senate candidates faced off in their final debate last night. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss is battling for a second term against a stronger-than-expected challenge from Democrat Jim Martin. The candidates clashed over economic policies.

The candidates faced off against a rotating panel of four journalists at the Atlanta Press Club debate, held at Georgia Public Broadcasting's Television studios in Atlanta, Nov. 2, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Chambliss who voted for the 700 billion dollar financial rescue package said he won't support a proposed second economic stimulus plan backed by Democrats. "Just saying that we need take another 300 billion dollars to distribute around the country will not get us out of this problem," said Senator Chambliss.

Jim Martin responded, "How outrageous... Saxby Chambliss economics is taking care of people at the top. We need to take care of the middle class and that's what this stimulus package would do."

The two candidates also traded spars over whether banks are using the bailout money effectively. Martin brought up criticisms that the money is being used by larger banks to buy smaller banks and to pay dividends to shareholders. Chambliss said it's acceptable for larger banks to buy smaller ones that are loaded with toxic loans, and challenged Martin to name one bank that was paying out dividends to no avail.

Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley also participated in the debate. He said both candidates would do little to nothing to address the larger economic picture--the burgeoning national deficit which is his main issue.

The latest polls show a tight race between Martin and Chambliss with neither candidate clenching a majority. If that bears out on election day, a run-off would ensue.

(Dave Bender)

Hear the entire debate tonight on GPB radio at 8:00 p.m.

Senate Candidates go after Chambliss

Candidates looking to unseat Senator Saxby Chambliss squared off for the first time this election season. Five Democrats and one Libertarian took part in a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Georgia and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

The candidates did not have major disagreements among each other but Democrats Rand Knight focused his attacks on Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss.

"The Sun is setting on Saxby Chambliss, and it's nightime," he said followed by cheers from teh crowd.

Former state legislator Jim Martin said as a Vietnam veteran he will not have his patriotism questioned by Saxby Chambliss. " I will hold him accountable," he said, " for what they have done."

Chambliss was invited to the event but declined. He will face the winner of the July 15th primary in November.

Dekalb CEO Vernon Jones used his closing remarks to criticize the media for suggesting that his campaign depends on the black vote.

"The media has created this frenzy around race. Now we are all one Georgia," Vernon said. He is the only African American Candidates in the race.

The Candidates agreed mostly on the issues ranging from the economy and gas prices to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. There was, however some discourse over taking money from special interest groups.

Former television journalist Dale Cardwell and businessman Josh Lanier have agreed not to accept PAC contributions.

Libertarian candidate Allan Buckley was also part of the forum.

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Imperial returns to operation; CEO defends Chambliss

Imperial Sugar's chief executive says his company never tried to enlist Sen. Saxby Chambliss to help it avoid blame in the February refinery explosion that killed 14 people in coastal Georgia. Imperial Sugar CEO John Sheptor told reporters in Savannah Wednesday that the Republican senator has shown "integrity and character" in his response to the tragedy. Chambliss, a Republican who faces a Dec. 2 election runoff, is fighting a subpoena by a Savannah attorney who wants to question the senator about whether Imperial Sugar persuaded him to harshly criticize a whistleblower testifying at a July Senate hearing. Attorney Mark Tate also accuses Chambliss of trying to discourage victims from suing the company. Chambliss has denied the allegations. His attorneys say the Constitution gives Chambliss immunity from testifying.

Imperial Sugar's coastal Georgia plant is operating again for the first time since a February explosion killed 14 people and injured dozens more. Company CEO John Sheptor said Wednesday the refinery in Port Wentworth resumed producing liquid sugar earlier this month and on Thursday will receive its first shipment of raw sugar since the explosion nearly 10 months ago. Imperial Sugar executives and employees celebrated Wednesday as they broke ground on a new 75,000-square-foot packaging plant to replace the one destroyed by the blast, which investigators determined was caused by dust igniting like gunpowder. Sheptor said the refinery should resume producing crystalized sugar in early 2009 and all new construction should be finished by next fall.


(Associated Press)

Senate runoff in the offing?

The "what-if" scenario gaining currency in Georgia political circles goes something like this: After all the votes are counted on Election Day none of the three U.S. Senate candidates gets a majority.

Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss speaking at a press conference in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Oct 2, 2008. (Carl Zornes)

The race heads into a Dec. 2 runoff between Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin. Democrats have picked up enough Senate seats nationally to pull within striking distance of a filibuster-proof 60-member supermajority.

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta, Sept, 16, 2008. (Dave Bender)

If it happens, the harsh glare of the national spotlight would turn to Georgia. Big money and big-name politicos would descend upon the state. Attack ads would flood the airwaves for weeks in what could be one of the nastiest political races the state has seen in recent years.

While he wouldn't say that scenario is likely, Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz says "it is definitely more than a remote possibility."

(Courtesy buckleyforsenate.com)

He says Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley would only need to pull a few percentage points if the contest between Chambliss and Martin is close.

There's certainly a statewide precedent: Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes won just shy of 4 percent in the race for Georgia governor's race two years ago.

It wasn't long ago that Chambliss was considered a safe bet to coast to re-election in Republican-friendly Georgia.

But that was before the nation's economic turmoil upended the political landscape.

Chambliss angered some conservatives with his vote for the $700 billion financial bailout bill, and the economic woes have created a wave of anti-incumbent frustration among angry voters.

Polls suggest the Senate race in Georgia has tightened considerably.

The Chambliss and Martin campaigns maintain they're working hard to win the race outright.

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(AP)

Chambliss: re-election sets stage for 2010 race

Senator Saxby Chambliss today warned Georgia House Republicans that his runoff election on December 2nd is the first test of the 2010 election cycle.

Chambliss says last week’s national election results have energized Democrats in Georgia. Republicans, he says, have to hold the line next month.

"If we give them any momentum going into the governor's race and all your races next cycle, how knows where we'll be." Chambliss warned.

"Folks," he continued, " This is the most important election in this cycle."

Chambliss urged House Republicans to help him get re-elected. He said he’ll open 10 office in Georgia in the coming days.

Chambliss was .2 percent short of getting the required 50-percent-plus-one-vote margin.

His challenger Jim Martin got 46.8 percent.

Vice President to raise funds for Chambliss

Vice President Dick Cheney will be in Atlanta on Monday to support Sen. Saxby Chambliss. Cheney's visit will be a quick in-and-out, with no time for the press or the public. He is headlining a luncheon in honor of Chambliss at a private home in Atlanta.

The Georgia senator is running for re-election next year. He has been one of the most loyal friends of the Bush administration on Capitol Hill. Chambliss helped craft immigration reform legislation that Bush wanted. But, after being booed at the state GOP convention, Chambliss distanced himself from the measure. His job-approval rating has dropped, according to polls by Strategic Vision.

At least one Democrat want Chambliss' seat: former Atlanta television reporter Dale Cardwell.

McCain coming to stump for Chambliss

Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley, incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, Democratic candidate Jim Martin at the GPBTV pre-election debate. (Dave Bender)

Republican presidential candidate John McCain is coming to the aid of incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss in the upcoming runoff vote.

Chambliss campaign officials have confirmed that McCain will come to rally voters here before a December second race against Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

A campaign official says they were nailing down a date for the visit.

Chambliss’ campaign is also trying to cadge an appearance by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Martin campaign officials say they’re hoping for a visit by President-elect Barack Obama.

Obama had not confirmed an appearance as of Friday.

Neither Chambliss nor Martin got a majority of votes in the November 4^th three-way race with Libertarian Allen Buckley.

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Clinton for Martin, gun lobby for Chambliss on Wednesday

Georgia’s runoff election is ahead in 12 days, and for the candidates, little time to lose on the campaign trail. From Atlanta on the campus of Clark-Atlanta University, a few thousand Democratic supporters braved chilly temperatures in the 40’s to rally for U.S. Senate challenger Jim Martin. Supporters heard from a former president.

"His opponent was elected on a false premise six years ago, and is running on a false premise today"

Bill Clinton fired-up the crowd and looked to make the case of Martin’s ‘campaign for change’ against Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss. As Democrats have drawn to within two seats of a filibuster-proof U.S. Senate, high focus has fallen on the Georgia race. Clinton made that a recurring theme in his 20-minute address.

"We don't need a firewall, we need a bridge. Martin's the bridge, Chambliss is the firewall...this is not rocket science. ...will you put Georgia back on the right path and send a message to the rest of the country about what kind of state this is and what kind of people you are?"

Meanwhile, Chambliss was on the trail Wednesday with stops in Atlanta and Perry. He was alongside the executive VP of the National Rifle Association getting their support. Chambliss says in the wake of the GOP losing the Alaska Senate seat, he’s ready to handle the pressure of this race in Georgia.

"The pressure is always there in campaigns. Certainly it has become much more important with the situation in Alaska developing like it has. It's imperative we win this seat."

Ahead for Chambliss Friday, he’ll get a visit from Mitt Romney, former presidential candidate. Martin on Sunday gets former vice president Al Gore coming to Georgia.

Chambliss "surprised" by bailout vote

One of Georgia's Senators says he would have voted YES to the sweeping federal bailout bill defeated by House members Monday.

Chambliss says the plan’s current version contains adequate safeguards and oversight that he--and taxpayers--should feel comfortable with.

Chambliss spoke on Tuesday just back from Washington, where he and fellow GOP Senator Johnny Isakson met with House Republicans. As for GOP House members who voted against the recovery measure, Chambliss offered this:

"We all were opposed to the first two versions...I was hopeful that changes would be made that would convince them they need to support it. They represent different congressional districts...Johnny and I represent nine-and-a-half million people. Sometimes you see things a little bit differently".

As for Chambliss' office getting flooded with calls from Georgians opposed to a massive bailout?

"I can’t worry about politics. This is so important for my constituents and it’s so important for my children and my grandchildren and the economy that they’re going to inherit, that you’ve got to think about what’s in the best interest of the country first".

Democrat Jim Martin is vying for Chambliss’ seat in November. At a candidate forum Monday, Martin blamed the incumbent and the Bush administration for the economy’s condition. Martin says he does not support the current bailout bill.

Romney ties Martin, Democrats to socialism

Senate candidate Jim Martin with former President Bill Clinton at Clark Atlanta University on Thursday; former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney with Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss at a rally in Atlanta on Friday. (Photos: John Bazemore /AP)

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney lent his support to Sen. Saxby Chambliss on Friday, warning that a victory by the Democratic challenger in next month’s hotly contested runoff could be the first step toward a European brand of socialism.

Romney is the latest in a parade of GOP bigwigs who have flocked to the state in the weeks before the Dec. 2 runoff between Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin. Romney’s criticism is not unlike the line of attack Sen. John McCain used unsuccessfully against Democrat Barack Obama in the campaign for president.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, told a crowd of about 200 cheering supporters that the general election showed that people wanted change in Washington. But the Georgia runoff, he said, could alter the very nature of the country.

"This election is about whether we want to change America. And I want to keep America America," he said to applause.

"I think in this race you have two different men who have two different views. One would take America down the course of becoming like Europe, big taxes and big government," said Romney. Chambliss, he said, "fundamentally believes in keeping America strong and safe and free."

In a brief news conference after the speech, Romney added: "I want to make sure we don’t take a left turn toward Europe."

Martin, a former state legislator, dismissed the ideological labels and stressed his record of bipartisan cooperation.

"I was one of the most effective members of the state House. I worked across party lines, and I’m going to continue to do that in Washington," he said after appearing at a campaign office in Decatur. "I’ve been a person who has always worked to try to solve the problems people face."

The Georgia race, one of two unresolved Senate races, has taken on national significance. The other is in Minnesota, where a re-count will help determine whether Republican Sen. Norm Coleman or Democrat Al Franken is the winner.

Victories in both races would give Democrats the 60 seats needed to fend off Republican filibusters.

The stakes are high, and both parties have rolled out their political heavyweights. McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee both stumped for Chambliss last week, and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is scheduled to appear next week.

Former President Bill Clinton led a rally for Martin on Thursday and Clinton’s vice president, Al Gore, is set to appear Sunday. About 100 Obama field operatives have been helping boost turnout, and the president-elect recently recorded a radio ad supporting Martin’s campaign.

The national focus has helped the candidates fill their campaign coffers.

Chambliss raised about $1.9 million between Oct. 16 and Nov. 12, and has $1.4 million cash on hand remaining. Martin raised $2.4 million over the same time period, and has more than $600,000 left in the campaign bank.

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

(AP)

U.S. Senate race tightens

Senator Saxby Chambliss began the senate race with arsenal of advantages. Besides the fact he’s a Republican incumbent in a red state, he had a war chest of 10 million dollars and a nine point lead on his Democrat challenger Jim Martin.

But now independent polls show Martin trailing Chambliss by two points in one poll and just one point in another.

Political expert Charles Bullock at the University of Georgia says that’s real close especially when you consider the margin of error. Bullock says a slight shift like the black vote could help tip the scales. “African Americans will vote 90 to 95 percent for Democrats," says Bullock. "The extent to which these new voters get mobilized and get out to vote, and we see a very high rate of African Americans voting early... That’s not good news for Saxby Chambliss.”

Bullock says what’s happening in the senate race is part of a broader national trend favoring Democrats which is turning red states like Georgia pink. He also attributes recent poll results to Chambliss’s yes vote for the unpopular senate bailout bill. It had the senator at odds with all Republican house members in the state.

Chambliss and Martin's first formal debate is this Thursday at the Georgia state fair in Perry.