Obama radio ad supports Martin for U.S. Senate

President-elect Barack Obama urges Georgia voters in a new radio ad to return to the polls one more time and elect Democrat Jim Martin to the U.S. Senate on Dec. 2.

The 60-second spot will begin airing statewide Friday, Martin’s campaign said late Thursday. Martin faces incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss in the runoff. Martin has asked Obama to visit Georgia on his behalf, but the president-elect has not committed. Martin spokesman Matt Canter said the campaign’s desire to have Obama travel here has not changed.

“Our campaign is thrilled with the support [Obama’s] been giving Jim Martin,” Canter said. “President-elect Obama has been extremely supportive of Jim Martin all along the way, even before the general election and certainly in this runoff campaign.”

Obama, who lost Georgia to Republican John McCain, recorded a previous radio ad during the general election, which was recycled earlier in the runoff.

The president-elect also has turned more than two dozen field offices over to Martin’s campaign, and many of his former campaign staff and volunteers are now working on the Democrat’s behalf.

Obama’s involvement is seen as crucial to boosting Martin, who trailed Chambliss in the general election by 3 percentage points and garnered about 90,000 fewer votes than Obama in the state. In the ad, Obama says Martin “supports my plan to cut middle-class taxes” and calls the former state lawmaker “a man of his word.”

“I know he’ll do everything he can to help me change Washington and get America moving again,” Obama says.

Chambliss, before a rally Friday with former GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, said he was not surprised Obama recorded the ad.

“I fully expect him to come here,” Chambliss said. “But even if he doesn’t, his presence is here now. But, just remember this: John McCain won Georgia, not Barack Obama.”

McCain visited Georgia earlier this month to rally Republicans for Chambliss, as has former GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee. Rudy Giuliani will be here next week.

Former President Bill Clinton was in Atlanta on Wednesday for Martin, and former Vice President Al Gore will be here Sunday.

— Staff Writer Jim Tharpe contributed to this report.