Runoff Likely in Georgia Senate Race

National party groups pledge support pitting GOP incumbent Chambliss vs. Dem Martin

By Ambreen Ali, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 5, 2008 2:41 PM CST

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Runoff Likely in Georgia Senate Race — Jim Martin speaks to supporters, telling them it will be a long night yesterday. The AP called the election a runoff today. (AP Photo)

Georgia’s US Senate race is heading to a runoff, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today, as Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss is just shy of the 50% plus one vote needed to defeat Democratic challenger Jim Martin. Both candidates wasted no time to launch campaigns for the vote that would be held Dec. 2; Martin has already contacted President-elect Barack Obama. The results won't be officially certified until sometime next week.

Chambliss scored 49.8% of votes, Martin 46.7%. With perhaps tens of thousands left to be counted, Chambliss held a lead of about 114,000 votes. The Republican said he’s “in full campaign mode” today, and blamed “voter fatigue” with the presidential race for a disappointing turnout from GOP-leaning Georgians. (More Election 2008 stories.)

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