ATLANTA (AP) – Georgians decide Tuesday whether to send Republican Johnny Isakson back to the U.S. Senate for a third term, testing the incumbent’s efforts to remain independent from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Isakson faces Democrat Jim Barksdale and Libertarian Allen Buckley on the ballot.
Democrats in Georgia hoped Trump’s low popularity with some voters could hurt Isakson’s re-election campaign.
But Barksdale has struggled to get momentum against the well-known Isakson. Barksdale, who owns an Atlanta investment firm, has given $3.5 million toward his first political campaign but got off to a slow start. He has since more aggressively attacked Isakson for continuing to support Trump amid reports of the businessman’s vulgar comments about women.
The incumbent senator has maintained a comfortable lead though and few national groups are targeting the race.