David Perdue tests positive for COVID-19 after campaign stop

david perdue covid
Former Sen. David Perdue arrives to speak before Vice President Mike Pence during Save the Majority rally on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, in Augusta, Ga. (John Bazemore / AP Photo)

John Bazemore / AP Photo


Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate David Perdue tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

Campaign spokesperson Jenni Sweat said Perdue, a former U.S. senator, recorded a positive result “during routine COVID-19 testing.” Sweat said Perdue is vaccinated and boosted against the respiratory virus. She said Perdue did not have a fever and wasn’t experiencing symptoms as of Monday evening.

Perdue had spoken earlier Monday at the Faith & Freedom luncheon in downtown Atlanta, where most attendees were unmasked. Sweat said Perdue notified the organizers of the gathering of his positive test.

Sweat said Perdue will isolate and “looks forward to being back out on the campaign trail as soon as possible.” He spoke over the internet to a group of Hall County Republicans on Monday evening and Sweat said he plans to campaign virtually while isolating.

Perdue is challenging Gov. Brian Kemp and others for the 2022 Republican nomination for governor. Former President Donald Trump urged Perdue to run, targeting Kemp for not overturning Georgia’s election.

Perdue lost reelection as a senator to Democrat Jon Ossoff after being forced to a runoff in January 2021. He went into quarantine in the final days of the runoff campaign after exposure to someone who had tested positive for the virus.