David Perdue tests positive for COVID-19, will undergo quarantine campaign says
ATLANTA - Former U.S. Senator and Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate David Perdue has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a representative from his campaign.
Perdue tested positive Monday afternoon during routine COVID testing, his campaign said in a statement to FOX 5.
"He is vaccinated and boosted. Perdue doesn’t have a fever and isn’t experiencing symptoms at this time. He will be quarantining and following the updated guidance from the CDC, and he looks forward to being back out on the campaign trail as soon as possible," the statement reads in part.
WHO IS RUNNING FOR GEORGIA GOVERNOR IN 2022?
The Republican primary is shaping up to be contentious, with Perdue challenging sitting Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Kemp recently filed an ethics complain against Perdue. Meanwhile, Perdue has taken aim at a state law that allows the incumbent governor to raise unlimited campaign contributions. Also running is former Democrat turned Republican Vernon Jones and GOP activist Kandis Taylor.
Perdue has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
On the other side of the isle, voting rights activist and former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams is running for the Democrats.
Perdue lost his seat in the Senate to current U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in a runoff election. The former senator launched a lawsuit in December 2021 alleging fraud in Georgia over the 2020 election results.
Overall COVID-19 cases are dropping in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. However, some regions are still experiencing spikes.
According to the CDC data, the 7-day moving average of cases stands around 716,000. That’s down from 797,000 from more than a week ago.
However, COVID-related deaths are trending upward with the 7-day moving average hovering just below 2,000. That’s an increase from 1,100 in late December.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.