GOP advantage in Senate run-off dims Dems chances for 60-seat Senate

Nick Juliano Published: Tuesday December 2, 2008
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Georgia voters return to the polls Tuesday for a run-off Senate election that could put Democrats a step closer to a filibuster-proof majority in the chamber, although the chances of an upset seem slim.

While such do-overs are difficult to predict, Republican incumbent Sen. Saxby Chambliss seems well positioned to hold onto his seat. The race against Democratic challenger Jim Martin grew unexpectedly close this fall, preventing Chambliss from earning a majority of votes on Election Day. (Georgia law requires run-off elections if one candidate does not crack the 50 percent mark.)

Chambliss holds a seven-point lead over Martin, according to a Pollster.com average of run-off polls.

The extra month of campaigning in Georgia led both campaigns to import volunteers, surrogates and campaign workers from the presidential operations as well as from completed races in other states.

Chambliss appeared alongside failed vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin on Monday, and Martin relied on former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore to bolster his support in the state.

A victory by Martin, who finished 100,000 votes behind Chambliss in November, would be "the biggest upset of the Senate cycle," notes Roll Call's John McArdle (subscription only).

When Martin emerged from a runoff to win the Democratic nomination in Georgia, he was viewed as little more than a sacrificial lamb in what had been considered a safely GOP seat. But that was before Chambliss’ campaign was hit hard by the country’s economic downturn and before national Democrats made the race a priority in their late election spending.