Loeffler to return to campaign trail following second negative COVID-19 test

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) plans to return to the campaign trail following a second negative COVID-19 test after she self-isolated due to conflicting test results.

Her campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson confirmed the negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in a statement on Monday, saying Loeffler will get back to campaigning ahead of the Georgia runoff race.  

“Tonight, Senator Loeffler received her second consecutive negative PCR test result,” he said. “She continues to feel great, and has no symptoms. She looks forward to getting back out on the campaign trail.”

The Loeffler campaign had announced on Saturday that the Georgia senator would self-isolate after possibly contracting the coronavirus. Lawson said in a Saturday statement that Loeffler took two tests on Friday ahead of two campaign events with Vice President Pence.

One of those tests was a rapid test, which returned negative results, permitting her to participate in the campaign events. But the other test, a PCR test, came back after the events and showed she was positive for the virus.

The Republican was tested again on Saturday, leading to “inconclusive” results. Her Saturday tests were retested on Sunday and “thankfully came back negative,” Lawson said in a previous statement. Monday’s test result was her second negative COVID-19 test.

Loeffler will return to the campaign trail as she braces for her Jan. 5 runoff race, in which she faces the Rev. Raphael Warnock. The result of that race along with Sen. David Perdue’s (R-Ga.) runoff against Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff will determine which party has control of the Senate. 

Loeffler had held joint events with Perdue in recent days, prompting Perdue to say he’d stay at home while waiting for his colleague’s results. He returned to the campaign trail Monday after Loeffler’s Sunday negative test, The Associated Press reported.