Phillips fans hit re-dial to put him over the top - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Phillips fans hit re-dial to put him over the top

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Tonya Griffin used two cell phones to dial as fast as she could, for two hours Tonya Griffin used two cell phones to dial as fast as she could, for two hours
Leesa Thompson voted 16,277 times Leesa Thompson voted 16,277 times
We'll find out tonight if Leesburg's Phillip Phillips makes it to the American Idol finale We'll find out tonight if Leesburg's Phillip Phillips makes it to the American Idol finale

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FITZGERALD, GA (WALB) -

We'll find out tonight if Leesburg's Phillip Phillips makes it to the American Idol finale. Millions of people voted last night. Some of you voted dozens, hundreds, even a thousand times for Phillips.

When American Idol ended last night, the race was just beginning for Tonya Griffin in Coffee County, to dial as fast as she could. "I use two cell phones for two hours constantly, just dialing them up," she said.

Keeping track, the entire time how many votes she's cast for Phillip Phillips. "I don't know I'm just a little obsessed, I can't dial it up like some people do and not know my final number, I just want to know at the end of the night."

She got through more often than not. "It was a lot busier last night but I was able to get 1,193 votes."

A lot. She's been calling all season totaling 10,218 by Saturday's concert, 11,411 after last night. "It's been kind of fun to get everyone involved, we're hoping to take him all the way."

Not bad, but she's been out done by a woman just over an hour away in southwest Georgia, who's got the same tenacity and spirit.

"I just use my cell phone, my husband's cell phone and the house phone and I just line them all up, put the numbers in before the voting lines open and as soon as they say the voting lines are open I'm already voting," said Phillips Fan Leesa Thompson.

Thompson went as far as painting her favorite car, encouraging others. "I'm the cheerleader for making everyone else vote too."

Her grand total:  "16,277, that's a lot of votes."

Last night's 1,427 votes wasn't even her best night. She's managed a personal best April 25th at 1,877.

"Donnie almost broke down in tears and he said just keep it going, keep it going and I said I'm not stopping unless I break my fingers," saidLeesa.

Both say they do what they do, because they believe in Phillips, how he's worked though the pain, going after his dream, and they're hoping to make it happen.

Thompson's Bunko group voted last night to suspend the game and instead what idol, but the party broke up before the end of the show so everyone could go home and vote. If Phillips makes it tonight, she says she willing to take in friends phones to vote for them.

Two weeks ago voters cast more than 60 million votes for Idol constants. Last week it was more than 70 million.

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