Georgia’s U.S. Senators Endorse McCain
Channel 46 CBS Atlanta, Associated Press

ATLANTA — Georgia’s two U.S. senators endorsed John McCain on Saturday night, a move designed to give the Republican presidential hopeful a boost with conservatives in the South.

Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson appeared with McCain at a Cobb County rally just days before Super Tuesday, when Georgia and 21 other states will vote.

The pair called McCain the best candidate to keep the country secure in wartime.

The endorsement created immediate ripples among Georgia’s grassroots conservatives, where McCain is viewed with some skepticism.

Chambliss, who is up for re-election this year, made a point of noting that he has policy differences with the Arizona senator, the author of a failed immigration measure which critics likened to amnesty.

“The willingness to disagree is what good leadership is about,” Chambliss said.

“John McCain is a strong-willed man, but he listens.”

Chambliss was greeted with boos from some of the GOP faithful at a state party meeting last year when he said he supported the McCain-backed immigration bill. He went on to withdraw his support for the measure.

Some conservatives who oppose illegal immigration were quick to condemn the endorsement Saturday.

“I can never, ever vote for Saxby Chambliss again,” D.A. King, head of the Dustin Inman Society, said Saturday night.

King called McCain “the architect of two attempts to provide amnesty to illegal aliens.”

Chambliss defended the endorsement, saying McCain was a candidate the GOP could unite behind.

Isakson also praised his fiscal discipline.

“John McCain was a fiscal hawk before it became popular,” Isakson said.

McCain visited Georgia as part of swing through the South Saturday. He is facing Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul in Tuesday’s contests.

McCain called Isakson and Chambliss “men of tremendous character.”

“I am honored to have their support,” he said.

Entire report HERE