NEW: Ratings Change Moves Perdue’s Seat Toward Democrats

Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifts race as polling and fundraising show Ossoff gaining momentum over scandal-plagued Perdue

ATLANTA — Today, following recent announcements of early GOP ad buys and poor polling for Republicans, Sabato’s Crystal Ball once again confirmed that “Georgia is in play” in a new analysis that moved Georgia’s regular Senate election closer to the Democrats.

The analysis noted that Georgia is “a genuinely competitive state again” as Democrats “have picked up some momentum against Sen. Perdue.” In addition, “a preponderance of recent polling” shows just how close the race is along with recent major ad buys from Republican big money groups after “warning signs” for the GOP across the state.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball joins a number of other political forecasters who have moved the race closer to the Democrats recently as Jon Ossoff continues to build momentum against an increasingly weak Perdue. Now, Perdue’s own warnings of a close race are playing out in real-time — including his admission that the races have tightened since “the Democrats have made it that way.”

Read more about this latest ratings change from Sabato’s Crystal Ball:

Sabato’s Crystal Ball: States of Play: Georgia

• In the state’s regular Senate election this year, we’re downgrading Sen. David Perdue’s chances.

• This time around, a preponderance of recent polling suggests Georgia is competitive.

• Democrats do seem to have picked up some momentum against Sen. Perdue.

• In April, Perdue himself seemed to be sounding the alarm, warning donors that Democrats have made the state competitive.

• In fact, Republican outside groups are starting to come in with major ad buys.

• Presidential polling in Georgia is close, and it seems like the regular Senate race will be more closely linked to that than we originally anticipated.

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