Loeffler isolating after possible COVID-19 infection

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) is self isolating after a possible COVID-19 infection, her campaign said Saturday night.

Stephen Lawson, a spokesperson for her campaign, said in a statement that Loeffler took two tests Friday morning, including a rapid test that was negative, and she was cleared to attend two campaign events with Vice President Pence. 

After her events, she was told that a polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) came back positive, the spokesman said. The senator was retested on Saturday and the results were “inconclusive,” Lawson said.

“Senator Loeffler followed CDC guidelines by notifying those with whom she had sustained direct contact while she awaits further test results,” Lawson said. “She has no symptoms and she will continue to follow CDC guidelines by quarantining until retesting is conclusive and an update will be provided at that time.”

Loeffler is facing reelection against Democratic challenger Rev. Raphael Warnock in a runoff on Jan. 5. The race is one of two that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

Recently, she’s held joint events with Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), who is facing his own critical runoff against Jon Ossoff (D), and campaigned with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). Her campaign events have drawn large crowds where not many people wear masks and socially distance, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

Loeffler’s possible coronavirus infection comes after GOP Sens. Rick Scott (Fla.) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) both revealed this week that they tested positive for COVID-19. Others who have previously tested positive include Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Late last month, Loeffler tested negative for the virus after two of her staffers tested positive. 

A spokesperson for Pence told The Hill that the vice president “is in regular consultation with the White House Medical Unit and will be following [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines as he has in other circumstances when he has been a close contact.”

Pence continued to campaign ahead of the November election even though top aide Marc Short tested positive for COVID-19 since the vice president was deemed an “essential worker.”

–Morgan Chalfant contributed to this report, which was updated on Nov. 22 at 8:49 a.m.