(CNN) – Nine days after losing the presidential election to Barack Obama, John McCain is back on the campaign trail.
The former GOP presidential nominee will stump for fellow Republican senator Saxby Chambliss today in Georgia.
The freshman senator most likely faces a run-off election December 2 against Democrat Jim Martin, a former state lawmaker.
At the start of the campaign, Chambliss was the heavy favorite in the race. But the contest tightened, and neither candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote on Election Day, thanks in part to a third-party candidate who won 3 percent of the vote. The race appears headed to a runoff between Chambliss and Martin.
The runoff is expected to become official later this week, after the state certifies the election results. Unofficial tallies show Chambliss with 49.8 percent of the vote, just short of the 50 percent plus one vote need to win. Martin has 46.8 percent of the vote.
McCain will join Chambliss at a campaign rally in suburban Atlanta this afternoon. McCain won Georgia's presidential vote 52 percent to 47 percent. President Bush carried the state by 17 points in his 2004 re-election victory.
Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is expected to campaign for Chambliss in Georgia this weekend, and an appearance by another former Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, is also possible.
Martin is hoping that President-elect Obama will come down to Georgia for an assist. While there's no guarantee that will happen, Obama is dispatching campaign aides to Georgia to help Martin in his runoff efforts.
A victory by the Democrats in Georgia could help determine if the party reaches its goal of reaching 60 Senate seats, which would give the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the chamber. A filibuster is a move that allows the minority party in the Senate to stall and even block votes on legislation. Sixty votes are needed to overcome a filibuster.
From CNN Politics
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Bring Joe the Plumber's Butt and The Barracuda/Minnow-–that will REALLY HELP!
Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska with the highest approval rating in the U.S., emerged yesterday from a meeting of Republican Governors and was immediately surrounded by 40 or more media members.
In the last few days she's been on NBC's Today Show, Larry King, CNN with Wolf Blitzer, Greta Van Susteren, and on and on-Oprah and the View are next.
Sarah Palin has STAR POWER. The "Thrilla from Wasilla" has already started her campaign to run for President in 2012 and replace the "interim" President, Barack Obama. So there's no need for Barack to get too comfortable in the Oval office.
Rich, you say McCain is the "looser" here. Please check your grammar. It's "loser," first of all. But then again, I should expect you to not know how to spell. You're a dumb Democrat apparently. McCain won the state of Georgia. People in this state like him and Sarah Palin. Most Democrats in this state don't care who's in Congress. They voted for Barack Obama because he's black. Those people won't go back to the polls for a runoff. Saxby Chambliss will go back to the Senate.
AGE!!! At 92 its hard for him to realize that the election is over and he LOST!!!
HERE COME THE MAVERICK TO THE RESCUE....!!!PLS MR MAVERICK WE LOVE YOU WHEN YOU ARE NOT CAMPAIGNING. STAY OUT OF THIS..
THANKS.
In such a republican state like Georgia McCain shouldn't even have to go there, really says a lot about this country right now.
If I was the democrats I would send Bill Clinton to help out and if things were looking good send Obama right at the end to give them a little bump.
G.I. Joe is the real American Hero and he has never accused his opponents (Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles) of palling around with C.O.B.R.A..
Seriously though, doing things like this that go against what you have previously said and just falls in line with the Republican drum beat that has ruined the party really shows that your not that "Maverick" everyone has attempted to coin..
Because the fundamentals of the campaign are strong. That's why he is still doing it.
Good grief Charlie Brown. What's next? Are they gonna pull Walin' Palin off of her PR tour and send her to GA.
From what I hear regarding Chambliss' treatment of Max Cleland, it sounds as though he previously ran as dirty a campaign as the Republicans did this year. Also, he appears to be a real bigoted person who is not needed in Washington!
I thought John McCain was so anxious to get back to the Senate because for him it's "Country First"!!
What a nightmare – I'm afraid that I'm gonna have Mike Huckabee on my porch trying to tell jokes, or Joe Biden ringing my doorbell. I thought when I voted that they would all GO AWAY. Now they're coming to my town to CAMPAIGN SOME MORE? No, please. Anything but this. When will it ever end?
And 1/20/13, you obviously had crack for breakfast. Grownups are talking here, honey.
Message for 1/20/13
That is really sad for those comments. Not all women that are liberal are gay and kill babies. I am pro choice but I would not personally have an abortion unless it was my life on the line. I have 2 small children to worry about. I believe its not the government's right to be in my or any other person's reproductive organs. Period end of discussion. I guess its OK for you to allow the government to limit how many babies you are aloud to have like China? A lot of liberal women just don't relate to Palin. Palin preaches about family but she has five children and one has a handicap. Personally, she should stay home to help raise her kids! That is what the conservatives are all about.
And you call yourself a conservative that means you are suppose to love your neighbor and stop critizing the rest of us. Be like Jesus. Accept everyone!
Well spoken Casey , DNC should not take this run off lightly, they should send all their bigwigs to Georgia, if not for Jim Martins but the long term gains it will bring.This run off if DNC wins may be laying a foundation for the eventual takeover of the traditional republican state of Georgia by the Democrat, remember midterm election is around the corner and 2012 is around the corner.
I lost ALL respect for McCain during his vile campaign, but this is a new low, campaigning for a hate-monger like Chambliss!
Hopefully McCain can lend some of the magic that helped his campaign so effectively. Maybe they should fly in Palin too.
60 seats......60 seats.....
This just further proves that mccain has NO HONOR, NO INTEGRITY, NO ETHICS! To campaign for this shameless racist is despicable!
I would imagine Chambliss, sorry as he is, will be tough to beat in an election without Obama coattails. While not a lot of people wanted four more years of Bush, a lot of folks think that some opposition party power in Congress is a good check on the President. I don't think the runoff will be that close, or even have a big turnout.
He could campaign for whomever he wants for as long as he wants. As long as he's not my president, I could care less! YES WE DID!
Drew: if you are so sure of yourself, why is McCain wasting his time?
And what a rascist comment to say that blacks only voted for Obama because he was black. Check out city of Atlanta, it's BLUE.
WHo's the LOSER now?
Is it really any your business what he does? I would hope
Barak would stump for the dem's side, or does he already
have what he wanted and the hell with everyone else
Is the GOP really sending guys like Rudy 9/11 and the Mormon down to Georgia? Dems should rejoice if they do.
McCain is just another two bit politician.
McCain is a hottie.
Who cares why McCain is still campaigning? Let's talk economy, the possible bail out of the automakers. The election is over, let's move on before we have nothing to move on to.
Mc Cain and Palin pleeeeese accept the defeat. Go home.
He's still campaiging because he's senile.