Chambliss wins Georgia Senate runoff

by James Oliphant and Richard Fausset

The Democrats' dream of an overpowering, filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate is officially on ice.

Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss Tuesday held on to his Georgia Senate seat, fending off a challenge from Democrat Jim Martin that went into extra innings. Martin had forced a runoff election last month after keeping Chambliss from attaining 50 percent of the vote, a requirement for office under Georgia law.

As it stands, Democrats will control 58 seats in the newly seated Senate, where 60 votes are needed to cut off debate on a bill and force a floor vote. After Chambliss' victory, only one Senate race -- in Minnesota--still remained undecided.

If Democrats had secured that super-majority, their ability to enact major legislation over Republican objections would have been substantially enhanced. This is why the Georgia contest drew national attention throughout November. Cash poured into the state from interest groups and the national political parties. Big-name politicians such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Sen. John McCain, and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin campaigned there.

Yet one who didn't campaign for Martin--President-elect Barack Obama--could have had the greatest impact. Martin was able to advance to a runoff largely because African-Americans had turned out on Nov. 4 in huge numbers to vote for Obama.

But the fear among Martin's campaign workers in Georgia has been that such a wave would be nearly impossible to replicate. And indeed, after the polls closed Tuesday, the turnout appeared to be down by more than two-thirds compared to a month ago.

Obama recorded one radio ad for Martin. And more than 200 workers from his presidential campaign descended on the state after Election Day to help the cause. But otherwise, his vaunted campaign machine did not flex its muscle for Martin--and Obama never seemed to seriously consider taking time away from his presidential transition.

As a likely result, the Republicans outspent the Democrats, fueled by a business community apprehensive about congressional approval of legislation that would make it easier for nonunion workers to organize. Chambliss' win makes the so-called "card-check" bill much less likely to clear the Senate.

A former state representative, Martin, 63, wasn't well-known to voters outside of his native Atlanta and faced an uphill battle against Chambliss. Meanwhile, during the past month, Chambliss has portrayed himself as a "firewall"--the man who could torpedo the Democratic agenda in Congress.

That argument resonated with Ralph Yoos, 61, of Powder Springs, Ga.

"I think if the Democrats got a supermajority, they'll just run over things and do whatever they want," the retired Navy man said.

Chambliss' win leaves just one seat still unfilled -- the one currently held by Minnesota Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, now facing a recount with challenger Al Franken. The recount is set to be finished by Friday, but legal challenges to some ballots will need to be resolved before a winner can be declared.

Even with Democrats falling short of 60 seats, the presence of a number of moderate Republicans in the Senate means that most bills will stand a strong chance of passing, provided that votes don't fall strictly along party lines.

Chambliss, 65, was first elected to the Senate six years ago, ousting Max Cleland, a decorated Vietnam veteran and triple amputee. He was criticized then for using a campaign ad that pictured Cleland with Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

Tuesday's victory party was staged in Cobb County, a wealthy suburb with a history of vigorous conservatism: a few years ago, the school district placed a sticker on science textbooks calling evolution "a theory, not a fact," until a federal judge deemed it unconstitutional.

His volunteers credited a massive get-out-the-vote effort for the triumph. "We had to be careful of over-saturation," said Jeff Woods, 35, of Dunwoody, Ga. "People were getting annoyed with how many calls they had received from us."

Chambliss supporter Joe Robert, 47, owner of a mechanic shop in Woodstock, Ga., said the parade of A-list Republicans who stumped for Chambliss in Georgia helped pull the party together after a bruising presidential election.

"The Republican Party, it splintered--it just went through a fire, and it was a roaster," he said. "Saxby Chambliss proves that we can (win), but it's got to be a joint effort.''

To Martin's supporters, however, Chambliss was emblematic of a time that they believe has passed.

"Most everything Saxby Chambliss does, I don't like," said Roger Johnson, a 78-year-old retired math professor and Martin volunteer from Tucker, Ga., "In particular, his support of the Bush administration policies."

The Chicago Tribune's Dahleen Glanton contributed to this report from Atlanta.