This time, Sen. Chambliss coasts

WASHINGTON AND ATLANTA —  Democrats’ dream of a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate ended Tuesday when Georgia Republican Saxby Chambliss held on to his seat in a closely watched runoff election.

With 96% of the precincts reporting, Chambliss was leading Democratic challenger Jim Martin, 57.5% to 42.5%. A runoff became necessary when neither candidate won 50% of the vote in last month’s election.

As it stands, the Democrats will control at least 58 seats in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to cut off debate on a bill and force a floor vote. There is one race that remains undecided: Minnesota Republican Sen. Norm Coleman is involved in a recount with Democrat 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.

A super-majority would have given Democrats the ability to enact major legislation over Republican objections -- which is why the Georgia contest drew national attention. Cash poured in to the state from interest groups and the national political parties. Big names -- such as former President Clinton, Al Gore, John McCain and Sarah Palin -- campaigned there.

In a speech to his supporters Tuesday night, Chambliss said: “People all around the world have truly had their eyes on Georgia. You have delivered tonight a strong message to the world that conservative Georgia values matter.”

His victory party was staged in Cobb County, a wealthy suburb with a conservative history: 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.

One politician who did not make a campaign stop in the state during the last month was Barack Obama, although the president-elect did record one radio ad on Martin’s behalf. In addition, more than 200 workers from Obama’s presidential campaign descended on Georgia after election day to help the Democratic cause.

Martin’s showing Nov. 4 was stronger than had been expected, largely because African Americans came out in huge numbers to vote for Obama. That turnout did not materialize Tuesday.

Chambliss, 65, elicited polite applause when he told his backers that Obama would be “in our prayers every day because he is our leader.” But, he said, when Obama challenges conservative values -- such as gun rights or low taxes -- “then I’m going to be the 41st senator to stand up” to him.

The Republican Party outspent the Democrats in Georgia, 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 “card-check” bill much less likely to clear the Senate.

A former state representative, Martin, 63, wasn’t well-known to voters outside his native Atlanta. And he faced an uphill battle against Chambliss, who portrayed himself as a “firewall” on Capitol Hill -- the man who could disrupt the Democratic agenda in Congress.

That argument resonated with Ralph Yoos, 61, of Powder Springs. “I think if the Democrats got a super-majority, they’ll just run over things and do whatever they want,” the retired Navy man said.

Chambliss’ volunteers attributed his win to a massive get-out-the-vote effort. “We had to be careful of over-saturation,” said Jeff Woods of Dunwoody. “People were getting annoyed with how many calls they had received from us.”

Supporter Joe Robert, who owns a mechanic’s shop in Woodstock, said the parade of A-list Republicans who stumped for Chambliss in Georgia had 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 retired math professor from Tucker. “In particular, his support of the Bush administration policies.”

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James Oliphant

reporting from washington

Richard Fausset

reporting from atlanta

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[email protected]

Chicago Tribune writer Dahleen Glanton in Atlanta contributed to this report.