Gore To Campaign With Jim Martin In Georgia Runoff

Former Vice President Al Gore will campaign on behalf of Democrat Senate challenger Jim Martin this weekend, officials close to the race confirm to the Huffington Post.

Gore is set to hit the stump for Martin on Sunday, adding a new element of political firepower to a Democratic campaign that is focusing its energy on turning out a massive early vote. Former President Bill Clinton has already stumped in the state and will be returning soon.

Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss, who failed to win a majority of the vote in the initial election, already is receiving help from several GOP stars, including Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and John McCain.

The question that remains is just how much President-elect Barack Obama will feel compelled to directly intervene in the race. The Illinois Democrat has dispatched staffers down to Georgia to help Martin's campaign retool for the runoff and raise funds. But there is no word at this time whether Obama will actually make a trip down south to campaign on Martin's behalf.

One official said that if Obama appears in person, it will likely be next Tuesday or Wednesday for the last days of early voting. Of course, if victory for Martin seems like a long shot, Obama may feel it is not worth investing the political capital in a losing cause.

Comments

[EllaBee]

YES! and the good news just keep on coming.

[Tunghoy]

Where is Jimmy Carter?

[Mildmannered]

Thank you, Al Gore.

[ggmome]

OK People, lets head 'em up and move 'em out! Let this be the last round up of good ole boys! Intelectualize them down there Gore, show them what shoes instead of clods are. And let them be for walking...

[Woodley56]

Clods? LOL. You mean clogs, I believe.

Clods are the Chambliss hacks who ran those ads against Max Cleland.

[Syymone]

There is no need for Mr.Obama to go down to Georgia for Martin,I wish Martin well and I hope he wins the senate seat,but I don't feel that any {unnecessary} risks should be taken for Martin.

Gore will be there and from what I understand so will Bill Clinton tomorrow. Mr. Obama has sent hundreds of operatives to Georgia so that is sufficient....

[ranchosx]

Obama needs to save all the political capital he can for the daunting task of fixing Bush's huge mess

[mcantwell]

Honestly, I think that if a good number of Repubs stay home and every single Obama supporter comes out and votes in the runnoff Martin may have a slim chance. I think a few Obama Rallys can make the difference......but I prefer not to chance my President Elect's safety.

[peeweeH]

Gore is an excellent choice.

I hope he fares better than the 2000 presidential election when he lost his home state of Tennesee.

[JNagarya]

There was substantial evidence of voeter fraud by Republicans, including surprise police road blacks and unannounced moving of polling places.

[gabemill]

"Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss, who failed to win a majority of the vote in the initial election, already is receiving help from several GOP stars, including Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and John McCain."

If these are the "stars" of the Republican Party, Democrats should enjoy decades of success in the future.
Short of Ted Stevens, there is no other man less deserving of elected office than Saxby Chambliss.

[mcantwell]

I'm from Georgia and I am glad to see Gore coming down here. I would rather Obama stay safe and send his surrogates to Georgia. I just wish they would send Gore to Augusta, GA.

[songbird02]

Do you think Martin has a chance of defeating Chambliss?

[UncleBubba]

Yes, provided people show up to the polls and we keep up the pressure on Chambliss. I was surprised that Martin was getting support in some rural counties I've never heard of. I've not looked at the demographics of these counties, but it gives me hope!

[roshni]

I hope they dispatch a lot of volunteers to get the vote out.

[Teritt]

Give money if you have it, but if you miss canvassing for Obama, get down to GA for the Thanksgiving weekend. And there are great malls in Atlanta so you can still get your shopping in too. Spread the wealth and the good karma.

[KathyinCT]

What a creative idea!

I do love the creativity and wisdom of HuffyP commentators!!

[UncleBubba]

We definitely need to get out the vote and one reason to do so is to capture those first time voters, many of whom might not show up for Jim Martin without Obama on the ticket. Contrary to Metalpipe's theory that Georgia voters wouldn't appreciate a black man campaigning for Martin, I think it's vital to get out the black vote in support of Martin. I understand the reasons why Obama might not come down to campaign for Martin, but I still think it would be great if he did. I'm concerned that Saxby's supporters are more likely to show up than Obama's supporters, which is why we need Obama to get down here! Martin won a runoff to be on the ticket so let's just hope he can do it again. Saxby needs to be retired and we need all the help we can get to do it. Martin 08!!

[LBA7895]

Folks: PLEASE give some $$$ to Martin to counter-act the Republican crime machine and to remember the smear job Chambliss did on Cleland.

[GAPeach99]

Cleland for VA Secretary (if they don't give it to Tammy Duckworth)!

[carlgt1]

send Judas Lieberman down too (for Martin, not Chambliss!)

[GAPeach99]

Now that WOULD be a good way to for Lieberman to do penance! He has to stump for every Democratic candidate for the next two years. Any candidate, anywhere from Dog Catcher to Senator.

[roshni]

Bad idea because people will vote against him. He always picks the loser.

[super]

No, send Judas Lieberman down to campaign for Chambliss. The vomit factor might then make the voters come out and pull the lever for Martin,!

[Ajegunle]

GOOD MAN!

[ladycubsfan]

I'm still amazed that this race needed a run-off. Saxby (what kind of panty-waist name is that?) is such a POS, he has to reach up to touch bottom. I don't understand the Georgia Republicans. Don't they have any sense of decency? How could they support a candidate who smeared, not just one Veteran, but two. A candidate who apparently couldn't serve his country because of a bad knee, but who can golf routinely. How unpatriotic, how unAmerican. I thought Republicans were the patriotic party - or so they claim.
Come on, Georgians, do the right thing. Vote for the better man, vote for Jim Martin.

[Raster]

Saxby winning shows the awesome power that appeals to WHITE RACISM still has in the never-to-be-reconstructed deep Confederacy.