THE GEORGIA PLAYBOOK

(2 of 2)

The Millner forces complain that Cleland is "running on biography," saying he would rather talk about his life than the issues. "He does have difficulties, but those are not the criteria for a U.S. Senator," says Millner spokesman Stuart Roy. "Nor does it say how you will vote in the U.S. Senate." But Millner, who came within 33,000 votes of defeating Governor Zell Miller two years ago, has been equally aggressive about running on his own Horatio Alger-like biography. He went from working in his father's gas station at age 10 and putting himself through college selling pots and pans door to door, to founding Norrell Corp., a temp-services company that had $812 million in revenue last year. It is a rare campaign appearance where Millner does not mention his experience as a businessman--a "Christian businessman" before some audiences--and the need in Washington for more elected officials with his background.

Millner may make it to the Capitol yet. He is expected to outspend Cleland by as much as $2 million, much of it his own money, and to dominate television in the final days of the campaign. Millner is also keeping up a tireless schedule of personal appearances--he has traveled more than 46,000 miles across the state since January. And his party affiliation may help: the Republican vote has been growing rapidly in Georgia, and no Southern Democrat has won an open Senate seat since 1988. Still, if the polls are to be believed, Cleland could end the Democrats' losing streak. His much heralded biography would then have a new chapter, "The Senate Years."