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ajc.com > MetroUPDATED: 10:01 p.m. August 05, 2008
Jones concedes to Martin in U.S. Senate runoff
By JIM THARPE, AARON GOULD SHEININ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/05/08

Jim Martin defeated Vernon Jones for the Democratic Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday night.

With 89 percent of the precincts reporting Jones was trailing Martin by nearly 20 percentage points in their runoff battle.

"I accept God's will," Jones said at this Peachtree Road headquarters as he conceded defeat. "He knows what's best for me."

Turnout was light in the race for the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

Jones, 47, who is DeKalb County's CEO, and 62-year-old Martin, a veteran former state lawmaker, locked horns in a bitter runoff battle after surviving a five-man July 15 primary race for the nomination. The winner of Tuesday's election will face Chambliss and Libertarian Allen Buckley in November.

Only 18 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the primary, and fewer than half of those were expected to return to the polls Tuesday for 12 hours of voting that began at 7 a.m.

Martin and Jones have largely agreed on major issues facing the nation and have focused their attacks during the runoff on each other's past votes.

Jones has accused Martin of going out of his way to avoid voting for Barack Obama during the February presidential primary. Martin voted for John Edwards, who had withdrawn from the race by that time, but whose name still appeared on the ballot.

"You say you support Barack Obama, but you voted against him," Jones said in a recent debate.

Martin, meanwhile, has hammered Jones for voting for President Bush twice.

"The main difference between me and Vernon Jones is that I am a true Democrat," Martin said at the same debate. "I do not support the policies of the Republicans like Vernon Jones."

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