A new poll of registered Georgia Republican primary voters shows businessman David Perdue leading his fellow GOP candidates for the U.S. Senate, with congressman Jack Kingston in second. Perdue gets 29 percent support, according to the Survey USA poll, while Kingston gets 19 percent. Three other candidates are effectively tied for third: congressman Phil Gingrey (12 percent), congressman Paul Broun (11 percent), and former secretary of state Karen Handel (10 percent).

Most early polls indicated the GOP primary to succeed retiring Republican Saxby Chambliss was a toss-up ahead of the May 20 primary. But Perdue, a first-time candidate and the cousin of former governor Sonny Perdue, has opened up the largest lead of any candidate so far. Because of the crowded field, no candidate is likely to earn 50 percent, and the top-two candidates will proceed to a July 22 runoff.