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Republican Senator David Perdue, of Georgia, will be quarantined after being exposed to a person infected with Covid-19, removing him from the election campaign just days before a hotly contested second round of voting to retain his seat.
The senator was informed Thursday that he had come into “close contact with someone from the campaign who tested positive for Covid-19”, according to a statement released by his campaign.
“Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but on the recommendation of his doctor and as directed by the CDC, they will be quarantined,” the statement said.
David Perdue
(@Perduesenate)Statement of our campaign: pic.twitter.com/3U3TJ9Va9l
The campaign did not specify how long the senator planned to quarantine. Donald Trump is expected to organize a rally in support of Republican candidates in Georgia on Monday, on the eve of the second round of elections which will determine control of the Senate.
Perdue is challenged by Jon Ossoff while Senator Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last December, faces Raphael Warnock. Neither Perdue nor Loeffler crossed the 50% threshold required to win their seats, triggering the second round on January 5.
If Perdue and Loeffler lost their races, the Senate chamber would be equally divided between the parties, with Kamala Harris serving as the deciding vote when she took office as vice president. Polls suggest the competition is tight and the fate of applicants is likely tied.
The twin elections gained national attention after Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1992 to carry the state. A sign of this enthusiasm, more than 2.8 million voters in Georgia have already voted – a record turnout for a second ballot.
Harris will travel to Georgia to campaign for the Democrats on Sunday, while Biden will host an event on Monday.
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