Showdown in Georgia: Chambliss vs. Martin Tomorrow

Tomorrow will bring a winner of the long-awaited Georgia Senate race between Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss and former Representative Democrat Jim Martin. If Martin wins, a Democratic super majority in Congress could help to pass some critical pro-choice, progressive policies.

Tomorrow, December 2nd, is the long-awaited run-off election in Georgia to decide the winner of the Senate race between conservative, anti-choice Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and pro-choice Democrat Jim Martin. 

In recent weeks Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, John McCain, and Rudy Giuliani have all made their way to Georgia in an effort to swing the election towards their candidate. Palin was in Georgia today telling crowds that by re-electing Chambliss the GOP can start to "rebuild" the party. 

In fact, if Democrats pick up the Georgia race and the also unresolved Minnesota race between Al Franken and Rep. Norm Coleman, the party will have a super majority of 60 seats in the Senate. 

Despite the fact that the extremist messages of the social conservative wing of the GOP did not seem to resonate with the majority of either Republicans or Democrats this presidential election, Palin told crowds that Chambliss’s support for gun rights and opposition to abortion would provide "a check" on the Democratic majority.

According to NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Blog for Choice, Martin is a Vietnam Veteran who fought hard during his eighteen years in Congress as a "leader in health care" particularly to expand health care for children and Martin is pro-choice as well. 

Chambliss is well-known for his smear campaign against Vietnam Veteran Max Cleland in his run for office six years ago. This time around Chambliss attempted to attack Vietnam Veteran Martin on his support for reproductive rights and Martin’s support for health care access more generally. Chambliss opposed expanding SCHIP (our federal health care program for children) in Georgia for low-income children.

Martin has a long, strong record of supporting reproductive health access as well. In the late 1980s, as a representative in the Georgia congress, Martin voted against a parental notification bill that ultimately passed. In addition, Martin has fought against legislators who want to overturn Roe v. Wade. If Martin defeats Chambliss he helps tip the scales of Congress towards a more pro-choice agenda potentially making it easier to pass such bills as FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act), The Prevention First Act, REAL (Responsible Education About Life) Act and others.

Georgia voters have apparently received robocalls from both the Saxby campaign and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce about abortion.