Georgia Senate Runoff Election

Incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss defeated challenger Jim Martin in a runoff election in the state of Georgia on December 2, 2008. Chambliss had also won more votes than Martin in the November, 2008, elections, but none of the candidates received over 50% of the vote. Chambliss' win eliminated the Democrats' hopes of gaining a 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.¹

Fast Facts

Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss finished with less than a majority of the votes

Challenger was Democrat Jim Martin

Regulations require the winner to have over 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff election²

Chambliss was elected to the Senate in 2003

Martin is currently an attorney in Atlanta

Runoff held on December 2, 2008²

John McCain won the presidential election in Georgia

Sarah Palin campaigned for Chambliss in Georgia

Barack Obama did not campaign for Martin in Georgia

The Mahalo Top 7

CNN: Georgia State Election Results
FoxNews.com: Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss Wins Re-election in Runoff (December 2, 2008)
Georgia Secretary of State: Election Results
TIME: What's Really at Stake in Georgia's Senate Runoff (December 2, 2008)
The Washington Post: Palin Does Georgia: What Does It Mean? (December 2, 2008)
CNN: Georgia Senate challengers prepare for runoff (November 5, 2008)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Martin says he's in a runoff Chambliss says, Not yet (November 5, 2008)