Runoff Campaigns Begin In Senate Race In Georgia

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Even as tallying continued in Georgia, former state Rep. Jim Martin, the Democratic challenger against Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), has begun running his first TV ad ahead of a runoff on Dec. 2.

In the spot, Martin continues to hang on to the coattails of President-elect Obama, quoting the Illinois senator during his historic election night victory speech saying, "In this country, we rise or fall as one nation. There's new energy to harness. New jobs to be created. Threats to meet. Alliances to repair."

An announcer then says in the ad, "Jim Martin has worked to do what's right for our country. He served his country in Vietnam. He helped pass the biggest middle class tax cut in Georgia History. Now he will work with Barack Obama to get our economy moving again."

Martin, who served for nearly two decades in the state House of Representatives, also quoted lines from Obama's victory speech in a press conference last Wednesday. His campaign has asked the president-elect to campaign for him in the runoff, but "that is as far as it has gone," Martin spokeswoman Kate Hansen has told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Tallying is still underway in Georgia, which Obama lost to McCain, 47 percent to 52 percent. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Chambliss is ahead with 50 percent, or 1,864,015 votes, while Martin trails with 47 percent, or 1,753,030 votes. Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley has 3 percent, or 127,723 votes.

Chambliss, a first-term senator who served eight years as congressman, needs 50 percent plus one to avoid a runoff between him and Martin. Last week, he expressed hope that all votes would be counted by the weekend, and that he would have a slim win with a few thousand additional ballots to his name. The Republican has asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to help him in his re-election bid, according to ABC.

A victory for Martin in December would bring Democrats nearer to a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority. They currently have 57 votes in the Senate, including those from two independents who caucus with them, Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and six seats gained this election cycle. The gains were made in Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia.

Results of two Senate races are still unknown: the one in Alaska with Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) is still too close to call while the contest in Minnesota between Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate Al Franken and Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) is scheduled for a recount on Nov. 19.

Democrat Jim Merkley won Oregon's close race against two-term Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), while Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) won the contest in the Centennial State against Republican Bob Schaffer.

Sen. John Sununu (R -NH) lost his seat to Democratic former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen. In New Mexico, Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) won against Republican rival Steve Pearce to take the seat of retiring Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM).

Republicans also lost a seat they've held for more than three decades when Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan won against Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) in North Carolina. In the Old Dominion, Democratic former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner beat another former governor, Republican Jim Gilmore, to win the seat of retiring five-term incumbent, Sen. John Warner (R-VA).