Just as the return of the swallows to Mission San Juan Capistrano is a sure sign of spring, Sen. Chuck Schumer’s recent decision to put money down in a formerly long-shot Senate contest is a sure sign that the race has become winnable.
Polls show that former Democratic state representative Jim Martin has caught up with GOP Senator Saxby Chambliss in Georgia. Chambliss, you will recall, ran one of the ugliest campaigns in history six years ago to defeat wounded Vietnam veteran Sen. Max Cleland.
Georgia is a state where Barack Obama originally devoted campaign resources, but then backed away when things started to appear hopeless. Now the Obama campaign is considering reentering the battle for the Peach State because polls show that Obama is closing the gap with John McCain. A CNN/Time poll conducted Oct. 11-14 had McCain ahead by only 51% – 47%.
Current polls show Martin and Chambliss tied, with the incumbent having a 4 – 1 fundraising advantage. According to an October 14 story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, however, Schumer’s Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has now put about half a million dollars into Georgia television ads for Martin as well as given cash to the state Democratic party for more ads.
For more on Georgia and other current polling, check out Council for a Livable World’s constantly updated list of polls:
