Isakson appears headed to victory in Georgia

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., appeared headed to re-election, picking up more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff and win a third term in the U.S. Senate.

With 74 of 159 counties reporting, Isakson had 60.7 percent of the vote, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Democrat Jim Barksdale had 35.5 percent of the vote, while Libertarian Allen Buckley garnered 3.8 percent of the vote.

Buckley in 2008 famously forced a runoff for then-incumbent U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss when he picked up 3.4 percent of the vote. Chambliss earned 49.8 percent of the vote, below the necessary majority needed to avoid a runoff.

Chambliss defeated Democrat Jim Martin, who picked up 46.8 percent of the vote in the general election, in the runoff. Chambliss did not seek re-election in 2014; U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., now holds his former seat.