The Associated Press reports this morning that DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones will announce his campaign against U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) tomorrow. Jones, who, at 39, was DeKalb's youngest-ever and first African American CEO, faces quite the uphill battle. A Strategic Vision (R) poll, conducted 6/22-24, a hypothetical head-to-head matchup showed Chambliss leading Jones 55%-31%.

The poll showed 50% of Georgians approved of Chabliss' job performance, while 39% disapproved. Chambliss led former television reporter Dale Cardwell (D), Jones' opponent in the primary, by a wider 56%-28% margin.

Chambliss, in his first campaign for Senate, took out Democratic Senator Max Cleland in what was widely considered one of the nastiest races of the year in 2002. The same year, Georgia Governor Roy Barnes unexpectedly lost to former Democratic-turned-Republican State Senator Sonny Perdue. Two years later, Rep. Johnny Isakson (R) easily defeated Rep. Denise Majette (D) as President Bush beat John Kerry easily. And last year, while no Democratic members of Congress lost their seats, two Georgia incumbents -- Reps. Jim Marshall (D-08) and John Barrow (D-12) came within a whisker of needing to find other work. Marshall beat ex-Rep. Mac Collins by about 1800 votes, while Barrow survived his rematch with ex-Rep. Max Burns by fewer than 1000 votes.

The Strategic Vision poll continues a trend over the past two years: Chambliss' 50% approval rating is slightly below that of Isakson's. And the senior senator has always trailed his junior counterpart. Chambliss didn't do himself any favors by supporting comprehensive immigration reform, which earned him boos and jeers at the state GOP convention in May (The AJC even has audio of the booing). It is unlikely that a challenger will emerge on the right, thought it appears Chambliss has some fences that may need mending.

Jones will try to cast himself as a conservative Democrat in order to compete with the senator. But in a state increasingly favorable for Republicans at all levels, that may not be enough to make this a top-target race.

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