Palin back on campaign trail

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin drew a big crowd as she campaigned to reelect incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss in his runoff with Democrat Jim Martin:

Several thousand supporters waited in the cold to file into the James Brown Arena in Augusta. Vendors sold bright pink "Palin 2012" T-shirts and "Palin for President: You Go Girl" buttons. She was greeted like a rock star with chants of "Sa-rah!"

"Georgia, the eyes of America are upon you," the former vice presidential candidate said. "We all have Georgia on our minds."

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Palin cast the Georgia runoff as the first step in rehabilitating the Republican Party, wounded by losses in November including the defeat of the McCain-Palin ticket.

"It takes rebuilding and I say let that begin here in Georgia tomorrow," Palin said.

She highlighted Chambliss' support for gun rights as well his opposition to abortion and tax hikes.

In Savannah, Governor Palin spoke for about 12 minutes and spent about 30 minutes shaking hands and giving autographs:

People of all ages were pushing Saxby Chambliss signs, books and notebooks at this year’s GOP vice presidential nominee to get her signature on anything they had. The crowd kept pushing people through so they could get closer to snap photos and video of her.

Last month in the general election, Chambliss fell just short of the 50 percent threshold needed to win in a three-way race against Democrat Jim Martin and a Libertarian candidate, Allen Buckley.

Tomorrow's runoff between Chambliss and Martin will help determine whether Democrats get a 60 seat super majority that could stop filibusters.

Georgia is one of two undecided Senate contests. A recount is still under way in Minnesota in the tight race between incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

A Research 2000/Daily Kos poll of likely Georgia runoff voters taken November 23-25 finds Chambliss leading Martin 52%-46%.

McClatchy reports the battle "for Georgia is being waged on two levels: A fierce grassroots struggle to get supporters to the polls, and a national contest featuring political celebrities and big money."

The Los Angeles Times reports Obama volunteers "have flocked to Georgia, and holdovers from his campaign here, who engineered a surprisingly high election-day turnout, remain at work." Even with the high stakes, presumptive President-elect Obama has not activated  his "supercharged fundraising apparatus and e-mail network" for Martin.