Sarah Palin,  Saxby Chambliss

Saxby Chambliss Re-Elected to United States Senate from Georgia

December 2, 2008 /
Sarah Palin and Saxby Chamblis

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, at podium, campaigns for Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., right, in Atlanta on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. Palin urged Georgia voters to back Chambliss in Tuesday’s runoff in an election eve appeal that underscored her popularity within the Republican Party and the GOP’s efforts to stave off erosion of its shrinking Senate numbers.

The GOP saved a filibuster-proof minority when incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss crushed Jim Martin in tonight’s U.S. Senate electon run-off.

NBC News declares Republican incumbent Sen. Saxby Chambliss the projected winner in his Georgia runoff election contest against Democrat Jim Martin.

The runoff between Martin and Chambliss, triggered when neither candidate garnered over 50% of the vote on November 4th, pointed a month-long national spotlight at the state.  High-wattage surrogates like Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Sarah Palin appeared in the hopes of mobilizing Republican voters for Chambliss.  Barack Obama did not campaign in person for underdog Martin, choosing to throw a lower dosage of his political capital into the race by recording a radio ad and robocalls for the Democrat; surrogates for Martin did include former president Bill Clinton and former vice president Al Gore.

Another winner tonight is Alaska governor Sarah Palin who made four campaign appearances for Chambliss yesterday.

Palin drew large crowds and Chambliss remarked, “She — she truly is a rock star,” Chambliss said on FOX. “I mean, she came into town to help us electrify our base, make sure that these folks get fired up and turn out tomorrow, and she did exactly that.”

sarah Palin in georgia for saxby
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) works the crowd during a rally to re-elect incumbent U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) in Duluth, Georgia December 1, 2008. Chambliss is in a runoff with Democrat Jim Martin

The GOP will have to earn its way back into majority status in the Congress and regain the Presidency.

But, the Republican Party started tonight.

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