Georgians Return Chambliss To The Senate

Georgia voters have overwhelmingly voted to return freshman Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) to the U.S. Senate. With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Chambliss leads his Democratic challenger, Jim Martin, by 57 percent to 43 percent. The margin of victory shows the degree to which Barack Obama "coattails" may have influenced close statewide races on election day last month.

An examination of the results map shows Martin (in blue) winning in predictable urban areas -- Albany, Atlanta, Athens, Augusta (one county), Columbus, Macon, Savannah -- and counties that are poor, rural/agricultural, and black.

The buzz on this result is that Democrats have lost their hope of a "filibuster-proof" majority. It is true that the most seats that the Democrats can hope to hold now is 59. However, asserting that 60 seats is "filibuster proof" assumes a lockstep straight-party voting pattern that is the exception, not the rule. Many Democrats are from conservative states and do not always vote with their party. The same holds true for Republican lockstep voting.

Nevertheless, I am glad that the Democrats will fall short of the 60-seat goal. I'm not comfortable with one party controlling both houses of Congress and the White House. I'm even less comfortable adding an overwhelming party majority in the Senate. Nor is either situation the norm.

Democrats have picked up seven Senate seats this election cycle, increasing their Senate majority to 58, the most held by Democrats since 1979-81. In Minnesota, incumbent Republican freshman Senator Norm Coleman leads Democratic challenger Al Franken in the recount by less than 300 votes.

Curious about my claim that Martin won in poor, black counties? Take a look at these data from the U.S. Census Bureau:

Georgia Statistics

• Martin vote statewide (43%)
• Demographic, state average: 29.9% black
• Sociographic, state average, 2004: 15.6% below poverty

Urban Counties Voting For Martin by 53% or more

1. Bibb (Macon, 53%) - 50.4% black; 20.0% below poverty
2. Chatham (Savannah, 52%) - 40.9% black; 16.9% below poverty
3. Clarke (Athens, 62%) - 26.0% black; 19.7% below poverty
4. Clayton (Metro Atlanta, 80%) - 62.9% black; 14.8% below poverty
5. DeKalb (Metro Atlanta, 74%) - 55.3% black; 14.7% below poverty
6. Dougherty (Albany, 64%) - 63.9% black; 22.3% below poverty
7. Fulton (Atlanta, 60%) - 42.8% black; 15.6% below poverty
8. Muscogee (Columbus, 57%) - 46.5% black; 17.1% below poverty
9. Twiggs (Metro Macon, 55%) - 40.7% black; 17.7% below poverty

Rural Counties Voting For Martin by 55% or more

1. Calhoun (57%) - 61.2% black; 26.3% below poverty
2. Clay (58%) - 60.6% black; 26.3% below poverty
3. Hancock (80%) - 75.5% black; 24.6% below poverty
4. Jefferson (55%) - 55.3% black; 20.4% below poverty
5. Liberty (61%) - 43.7% black; 15.6% below poverty
6. Macon (64%) - 58.6% black; 22.5% below poverty
7. Richmond (59%) - 53.3% black; 20.0% below poverty
8. Stewart (61%) - 60.5% black; 23.9% below poverty
9. Talbot (63%) - 55.9% black; 18.9% below poverty
10. Taliafero (65%) - 59.0% black; 22.8% below poverty

Rural Counties Voting For Chambliss by 80% or more

1. Bacon (80%) - 17.2% black; 18.2% below poverty
2. Banks (83%) - 3.6% black; 12.3% below poverty
3. Brantley (83%) - 4.4% black; 16.3% below poverty
4. Cherokee (82%) - 5.3% black; 6.5% below poverty
5. Dawson (85%) - 0.8% black; 9.5% below poverty
6. Forsyth (85%) - 2.7% black; 5.5% below poverty
7. Glascock (82%) - 9.7% black; 14.0% below poverty
8. Habersham (81%) - 4.4% black; 11.7% below poverty
9. Hall (80%) - 6.8% black; 12.0% below poverty
10. Jackson (81%) - 7.0% black; 11.8% below poverty
11. Pickens (80%) - 1.5% black; 10.4% below poverty
12. Pierce (84%) - 10.1% black; 16.8% below poverty
13. Pike (80%) - 12.7% black; 10.5% below poverty
14. Walton (80%) - 14.5% black; 11.2% below poverty

Source: Census Quick Facts