Final Push For Votes in Georgia's Hot Senate Race

With just hours before voting begins in Georgia, the high-profile U.S. Senate race between David Perdue and Michelle Nunn is expected to be close, with some observers suggesting there may be a runoff in January.

The race is considered a vital race in determining party control of the U.S. Senate.

The latest polls show Perdue, the Republican, leading Democrat Nunn by 3 to 4 percentage points. Real Clear Politics’ average of seven polls has Perdue at 47 percent; Nunn at 44.4.

Perdue had trailed Nunn in most polls just two weeks ago.

The latest WSB-TV/Landmark Communications poll, conducted Sunday night following the final televised debate between the candidates, had Perdue ahead 50 to 46 just four days after the same poll had the race even.

The WSB poll was the only one to give Perdue 50 percent. A runoff will be held if neither candidate eclipse 50 percent of Tuesday’s vote.

Over the past two weeks, Perdue and Nunn have been in a hot campaign blitz with town-to-town appearances and attack ads on TV, radio and the Internet.

Both have pulled out the big guns at campaigns stops. Former President Bill Clinton appeared with Nunn in Atlanta; former presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for Perdue.

Both have thrown verbal barbs at each other, which continued in Sunday’s debate televised on WSB-TV.

Perdue, a cousin of former Gov. Sonny Perdue, called a vote for Nunn a vote for the policies of President Barrack Obama. “In Georgia, the name of those policies [is] Michelle Nunn,” Perdue said.

Nunn, daughter of former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, said a vote for Perdue is a “rubber stamp for [Washington] gridlock.”

The race appears close enough that the seat might need to be decided by a runoff on Jan. 6. Libertarian candidate Amanda Swafford could get 4 percent of the vote, making it possible that none of the candidates would win the majority vote.

Read more on the U.S Senate race:

• How a ‘Crazy’ Runoff Vote in Georgia Could Decide Control of Senate (Daily Signal)
• Yet another poll says Nunn-Perdue contest headed for a runoff (AJC)
• David Perdue outraises Michelle Nunn, puts more of his own money in (AJC)
• Michelle Nunn’s Hopes in Georgia Are Fading in Final Stretch (New York Times)
• Senate race final push: Michelle Nunn mobilizes, David Perdue gets folksy (AJC)
• Nunn, Perdue rebut ongoing attacks in their final U.S. Senate debate (AJC)
• A divided Georgia GOP tries to rally behind David Perdue (Yahoo News)
• Bill Clinton stumps for Nunn, Huckabee for Perdue (WXIA)
• Poll: Perdue 48, Nunn 44 (National Review)
• The Democrats vs. Republican message battle in Georgia (MSNBC)
• Pick Six: Final countdown to GOP control of Senate (Fox News)