Poll: Martin Only Two Points Behind Chambliss In Runoff

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has a poll showing Georgia challenger Jim Martin within two points of his Republican rival, incumbent Sen. Saxby Chambliss in their runoff election.

Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin is within two points of Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss and holds Chambliss to just 48% of the vote, according to a new poll taken for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Martin campaign. Chambliss leads Martin 48% to 46% in the poll, which was taken by the Mellman Group from November 21 to 23.

"With just a week to go until Election Day, Jim Martin is well-positioned to win this campaign," DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. "As every day brings more proof of just how badly Saxby Economics has failed, Georgians are showing they want a leader who will work with Barack Obama to fix the economy, not a politician who blocks change for the middle class."

The poll of 600 likely voters has a 4% margin of error.

But a Public Policy Polling survey finds Chambliss has expanded his lead to six points, leading Martin 52% to 46% with increased support from independents.

Comments

[d-sharp]

I'm from Georgia and currently living in New York. One thing that needs to be corrected is that people from Georgia are stupid. I can assure you that I'm not nor my family back in Georgia. I voted straight down the line for the Democratic ticket in NY and my family voted the same way in Georgia!! The problem with Georgia is that they have a pocket of old, rich rednecks who despise change and will do and say anything to get elected or maintain there hold on that region of the country. Things are changing and there is still hope!!! I encourage you to reach out to others in Georgia who are on the same page as yourself. Let's stop labeling and start laboring!!!!! THATS CHANGE WE CAN ALL BELIEVE IN!!!!!

[gapeach2468]

Agreed, d-sharp,
I'm from Georgia, probably the WHITEST county in Ga, Forysyth Co. Half of my family voted Dem & sadly the others voted Repub...I NOR HALF OF MY FAMILY EVER VOTED REPUB IN OUR LIVES!!! Sadly, the other half of the family always goes Repub. The Dem side is pro-choice, pro-union & anti-religion, the other half supports many of these efforts: pro-choice & anti-religion for ex. They aren't RICH, but don't like change, even tho, they're the EDUCATED ones & I only have a hs edu, tho I am married to a lawyer.

I agree, there is still hope here, I am living proof!!! As fellow Georgians can atest, if someone raised in Forsyth Co can overcome racial differences, as well as social, to become a LIFELONG LIBERAL, we can hope to reach anyone! Please help MARTIN win the SENATE RACE in GEORGIA!!!

[Egalitare]

This is really good news, people. Given how you KNOW "likely voters" are being assumed by the pollsters (full disclosure: I worked in the industry for 6 years) Martin is in really good shape.

I'm going to make sure I get at least 200 calls in between Thanksgiving and the runoff.

[GAPeach99]

That's right. We're gonna win this thing! A change is coming to Georgia too! GOTV people!!!

[Jesster]

Georgians brought enormous shames on themselves and their state when they elected Saxby Chambliss after his despicable campaign agains Max Cleland. Now they have a chance to redeem themselves, but will they?

[robXdion]

NO. Because they see electing Chambliss as an act of defiance towards Obama and Democrats. They don't care about how foul Chambliss is. Their hatred trumps their morals.

[NHGranite]

Unfortunately, you called it right. A lot of people I know don't understand, and don't want to understand, how their vote really affects them when policy decisions are made, they just don't want a Democrat to win. Not a bit of sense gets through their negativity. Sure, they want the govt to help their parents in the nursing home, but they don't want social programs.

And frankly, some of them don't judge people by the content of their character, case closed.

[drsmc41]

Those who aren't voting might be a little "off."

[donbrown]

...and dangerous.

[Paisano]

Proof that Georgia people are stupid!

[pir anha]

can you stop with this sort of idiocy already? the vote is nearly split 50/50 and yet you feel moved to say that georgians are stupid? how about you turn more than two working neurons on before commenting. it wouldn't even be justified to call half of georgia stupid because there are solid reasons some of them vote for chambliss -- he's been good for them personally. you do realize that republican representatives in congress bring pork home for their constituents, right? and some of them truly believe in the socially conservative message -- that doesn't make them stupid, even if us liberals don't like that message.

yes, some georgians are undoubtedly stupid. face it, some democratic supporters are stupid too. heck, one just has to read the comments here.

[natchiketa]

Oh and Paisano, you can use 'Georgians' instead of 'Georgia people'. Yes I know, it's one of those fancy suffix thingies, but I know you can do it.

Seriously though. I was born and raised there. I left Georgia because of the backward-mindness, the racism (which as a Latino, I felt was a serious hindrance to making a life for myself, as nobody seemed to want to hire me for anything except construction and food service in the small town I was from), and most of all, the religious fundamentalists.

I was so used to voting for the loser in Georiga, that I felt my vote was perpetually a symbolic one in that state, as my hippie-dippie vote didn't stand a chance against the big bible-thumper votes. But Obama has helped mobilize a whole group of people—minorities, young people, and more left-leaning people—and they really do have it within them to tip the scales this time around.

Please show some respect to those people, as they represent a possible 'Georgia of the Future'. One that you maybe won't find to be so stupid. One that I might make me decide to call the Peach State my home again someday.