United States Senate election in Georgia, 2000

United States Senate special election in Georgia, 2000

November 7, 2000

Nominee Zell Miller Mack Mattingly Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,413,224 920,478 Percentage 58.1% 37.9%

U.S. Senator before election Zell Miller Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Zell Miller Democratic

Elections in Georgia
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The 2000 Georgia United States Senate special election was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Zell Miller, who was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes to replace the late Paul Coverdell , won re-election to serve the remainder of the term.

Major candidates

Democratic

• Zell Miller, incumbent U.S. Senator and former Governor

Republican

• Mack Mattingly, Ambassador to Seychelles and former U.S. Senator

Campaign

One of the biggest campaign issues was Social Security. Miller attacked Mattingly for supporting a raise in the retirement age.^[1] The Republican fought back by connecting him to liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, and on his vote to block legislation aimed at protecting Social Security. Mattingly said he would vote for Texas Governor George W. Bush for president, who was very popular in the state and led Vice President Al Gore in many Georgia polls. Mattingly then asked Miller who he was supporting in the presidential election. Miller conceded he would vote for Gore because he helped him when he was governor including drought relief, welfare reform, and the Atlanta Olympics. "That does not mean I agree with all of his policies," he concluded.^[2] In early October, a poll showed Miller leading with 59% of the vote, despite the fact that Bush was leading Gore by a double digit margin.^[3]

Results

Note: This election was a non-partisan election due to it being a special election. Each candidate ran without a party. The parties below reflect which party label each candidate would have run under if given the option.

References