Here’s the good news for Georgia Republicans: The Atlanta Journal Constitution poll out today puts GOP Senate candidate David Purdue ahead by 2 points over Democrat Michelle Nunn.
Here’s the bad news for Georgia Republicans: The five previous polls, including the CNN poll out earlier today, put Michelle Nunn narrowly ahead.
Here’s the other good news for Georgia Republicans: To win the Senate seat, a candidate needs 50 percent, and Nunn hasn’t hit that in any poll this year. Her share in the last five polls: 42 percent, 47 percent, 47 percent, 46 percent, 46 percent. In the most of the most recent polls, Nunn would need to win almost all of the remaining undecideds to hit the 50 percent threshold. The Libertarian candidate, Amanda Swafford, is getting around 5 percent and appears likely to keep the other candidates below the threshold.
If they go to a runoff, Nunn and Purdue would continue campaigning for another two months, and by the time the January 6 runoff arrives, control of the Senate may be resolved. In that scenario, it’s possible one or both parties and outside groups will be much less intense in their get-out-the-vote activities. (Louisiana holds its runoff in December.)
Of course, if control of the Senate comes down to the Georgia runoff . . . it is going to be a mean and nasty Christmas season and New Year’s in the Peach State.