Georgia Senator thwarts Democrats

Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss handed the Republicans a firewall against Democrats eager to flex their newfound political muscle in Washington, winning a bruising runoff battle.

Chambliss' victory thwarted Democrats' hopes of winning a 60 seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. It came after a bitter month-long runoff against Democrat Jim Martin that drew political luminaries from both parties to the state and flooded the airwaves with fresh attack ads weeks after campaigns elsewhere had ended.

Minnesota - where a recount is under way - now remains the only unresolved Senate contest in the country.