Georgia Sen. David Perdue to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure days before Senate runoff

Updated: Dec 31, 2020 / 03:23 PM EST

ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 14: Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) addresses the crowd during a campaign rally at Peachtree Dekalb Airport on December 14, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. As early voting begins, Perdue is facing Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff in a runoff election. The results of two Georgia Senate races will determine the party that controls the majority in the U.S. Senate. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

ATLANTA (NewsNation Now) — Georgia GOP Senator David Perdue will quarantine after close contact with someone infected with coronavirus, his campaign announced Thursday just days before the Senate runoff.

“This morning, Senator Perdue was notified that he came into close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for COVID-19. Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine. The Senator and his wife have been tested regularly throughout the campaign, and the team will continue to follow CDC guidelines. Further information will be provided when available.”
PERDUE SENATE CAMPAIGN

Perdue is set to face off against Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff in the runoff on Tuesday, Jan. 5. Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler is also up for election against Democrat Raphael Warnock. The runoff was necessary because no candidate won more than 50% of the vote on Nov. 3.

Loeffler had previously quarantined in November after a series of mixed COVID-19 test results. She returned to the campaign after two negative tests in a row.

The stakes are high for a momentous political struggle in Georgia during President Donald Trump’s final lame-duck days in office. The state is closely divided, with Democrats making gains on Republicans, fueled by a surge of new voters. But no Democrat has been elected senator in some 20 years.

More than 2.8 million Georgians have voted so far in a U.S. Senate runoff election, according to state data published on Thursday. The figures, published on the last day of early in-person voting ahead of the Jan. 5 election, add to an already record-high turnout for a Georgia runoff, exceeding the 2.1 million ballots cast in a 2008 Senate contest.