U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler tested negative for the coronavirus on Monday for the second time in consecutive days, and her aides said she would soon return to the campaign trail.
In a statement, campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson said Loeffler is feeling “great” and has no symptoms. “She looks forward to getting back out on the campaign trail,” Lawson said.
Over the last several days, Loeffler has taken multiple COVID tests that have returned conflicting results. A PCR test that initially came back as inconclusive on Saturday was retested overnight and found to be negative. A rapid test result was negative on Friday, but an initial PCR test came back positive later Friday.
The senator had been self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidelines until she received two consecutive negative tests.
The COVID testing was the latest twist in the senator’s campaign. She stumped without wearing a mask with Vice President Mike Pence, U.S. Sen. David Perdue and other GOP officials on Friday during a round of stops in North Georgia. She also campaigned with Perdue and U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton on Thursday.
On Monday, Democrat Jon Ossoff appeared on CNN’s New Day and called on Loeffler and Perdue to require mask wearing at their campaign events.
Although the senators frequently wear masks when they are not giving speeches, mask wearing is not required and events are frequently held in crowded indoor venues.
“We need to set the tone here in Georgia, ”Ossoff said.
Public health officials have said that COVID testing may not always yield accurate results.
“This can happen sometimes. You can have false positives,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease specialist who is also executive associate dean of Emory University School of Medicine.
“That’s why when you have someone without any symptoms, it’s better to have more tests to confirm it. I think the senator did the right thing — she’s isolated herself and doing what she needs to do.”
Loeffler, a Republican who faces Democrat Raphael Warnock in the runoff, has kept a busy schedule of rallies since her second-place finish in the Nov. 3 special election.
At Loeffler’s two events on Friday with Pence, hundreds gathered in Canton and Gainesville in cramped confines at outdoor venues. An event scheduled for Monday with U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa went on without Loeffler, and his campaign hasn’t said whether he has taken a coronavirus test since Friday, when the results came back negative.
The pandemic is playing a significant role in the high-stakes campaign, which will decide how aggressively President-elect Joe Biden can pursue his legislative agenda.
Warnock and Ossoff, who is competing against Perdue, have consistently accused their Republican rivals of downplaying the pandemic. The two incumbents have focused on their support for President Donald Trump and economic stimulus efforts they backed as the outbreak worsened.
- Staff writer Greg Bluestein contributed to this report.
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