Saxby Chambliss Wins US Senate Runoff in GA Going Away … Dems, No 60 Seats for You!

Georgia On My Mind: Georgia decides there will be checks and balances on an Obama Administration. How come the MSM is not referencing this Senate election defeat for Dems in Georgia as the first chink in the armor of The Chosen One?

Was the election of Barack Obama more about a perfect storm of overly favorable media coverage, bad economic situation and a specific candidate than it was about the American voter shifting to the Democrats? With no Obama on the ticket and much on the line for Democrats in the US Senate, Dems fall flat in Georgia.

Incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss wins the US Senate runoff race in Georgia by an overwhelming majority or Democratic state Representative Jim Martin, 57% to 43%. The Chambliss win denies the Democratic party the potential of 60 Senate seats and a filibuster-proof majority.  Real Clear Politics blogged the Georgia Senate runoff.

What is most remarkable is the percentage difference that occurred in the runoff election vs. the general election between Chambliss and Martin. Martin finished 3% points behind in the general election; however, was trounced in the Georgia runoff when there was no Barack Obama for people to come to the polls and vote for.

Democratic state Rep. Jim Martin was unable to overcome the fact that he did not have President-elect Obama on the ballot in the runoff. He trailed the incumbent 61-39 with 71 percent of precincts reporting when the race was called.

Early voting indicated a strong drop-off in African-American turnout in the race, which was seen as a result of the lack of Obama’s name on the ballot and, perhaps, his failure to appear with Martin.

Obama did cut ads for Martin but declined to campaign with him during his presidential transition period.

As Town Hall states, Chambliss rolls in Georgia and there is evidence that the Obama coattails are short indeed. What happened to the voters that came out and supported Obama in the Presidential election is GA? What a difference a month makes and a Sarah Palin visit to GA to support Saxby Chambliss while Obama did not personally campaign for Martin. Knowing that Democrats needed to win this seat to gain a filibuster proof majority in the US Senate, it is quite telling that the Senate contest was not closer than its eventual outcome.