Sarah Palin coming to Atlanta on Monday

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will come to Georgia next week to campaign for incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss on the eve of the runoff election.

Palin, who drew large crowds while running for vice president with Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain, will appear at four Chambliss rallies Monday, the day before the Dec. 2 senate runoff between Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin.

Scheduled times and locations are 8:30 a.m. in Augusta, 11 a.m. in Savannah, 1:30 p.m. in Perry, and 4 p.m. in north metro Atlanta.

Specific locations had not been determined Tuesday.

Palin has been lambasted by the left, but she is immensely popular with many conservative voters. The McCain-Palin ticket carried Georgia on Nov. 4 by about 200,000 votes.

The senate runoff has thrust Georgia into the national political spotlight. It has drawn a parade of political a-listers for both candidates as the last major political contest of 2008 is decided at the polls.

Only Senate races in Georgia and Minnesota, where a recount is under way, still are undecided. Democrats now have 58 seats in the U.S. Senate, putting them within reach of a so-called “super majority” of 60.

Party leaders hope Martin can push them toward a filibuster-proof majority to speed their agenda through Congress. Republicans have vowed to hold Chambliss’s seat at all costs to prevent a “rubber-stamp” Congress for President-elect Barack Obama.

McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee have appeared for Chambliss. Former president Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore have appeared for Martin.

Martin’s campaign has invited president-elect Obama but no visit has been confirmed. Obama, however, has recorded a radio ad for Martin and on Monday began making automated “robo calls” for his fellow Democrat.

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is in Atlanta Tuesday for Chambliss and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile comes to town Tuesday for Martin.

Staff writer Jim Galloway contributed to this report.