Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., will start to quarantine after someone on his re-election team tested positive for Covid-19, his campaign said in a statement on Thursday.
The move will force him to miss crucial time on the campaign trail just days ahead of his Tuesday runoff against Democrat Jon Ossoff.
“This morning, Senator Perdue was notified that he came into close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for COVID-19,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine. The Senator and his wife have been tested regularly throughout the campaign, and the team will continue to follow CDC guidelines. Further information will be provided when available.”
Perdue, who is one of the Republicans on the ballot in Georgia’s twin runoffs next week, planned to rally with President Trump ahead of election day.
This will take Perdue off the trail as polls show a close race between the Georgia lawmaker and Ossoff. Perdue has been campaigning across the state at a breakneck pace, and recently held the 100th event of his 150-stop “Win Georgia, Save America” statewide bus tour.
Perdue has also campaigned at some events with Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who is also facing a runoff on Tuesday against Raphael Warnock. He was last at a public event with Loeffler in Greene County on Monday. The senators spoke without masks but wore them while taking photos with supporters.
The statement did not indicate when Perdue was exposed. Loeffler’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will also campaign for the Democratic candidates in their final push to win control of the Senate, which will shape what Biden is able to accomplish and perhaps who he is able to get confirmed to serve in his new administration.
