Handel, Deal push toward runoff; candidates in Carroll County Saturday
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Karen Handel on Saturday said the momentum she gained during the Republican gubernatorial primary will carry her to a runoff win, while her opponent, Nathan Deal, cited the former secretary of state’s lack of experience.
Handel and Deal spoke to an audience of several hundred residents Saturday at McIntosh Reserve Park in Carroll County. The winner of the Aug. 10 primary will meet Democrat and former governor Roy Barnes in November.
According to a McLaughlin poll taken July 22, Handel and Deal are in a virtual deadlock statewide, with Deal leading Handel by a single percentage point — 39 percent to 38 percent.
Handel led Deal in the primary, taking 33 percent of the vote. Deal, the former congressman, took 23 percent.
On Saturday, Deal said he’ll take the Republican nomination and beat Barnes in November largely because of the support and endorsements of many different people and organizations across the state – including congressmen Phil Gingrey and Lynn Westmoreland, a large number of state representatives and senators, The National Rifle Association and Georgia Right to Life.
“You’re going to see that we have the support of an overwhelming number of the members of the Georgia General Assembly who the next governor is going to have to work with,” Deal said. “The worst thing we can have in Georgia is a state of gridlock. Unless we have someone who likes the folks and can work together with them to get something done for our state, we’re going to be in a very difficult situation in a time when Georgia needs to move forward. We have great opportunities, if we’ll simply take advantage of them.”
Deal criticized Handel’s lack of experience, arguing that she is simply running for the governorship to pad her resume.
“I am not just going through the political ranks just because of ambition. I believe when you use the term like career politician one of the things that you can say is, ‘That’s somebody who has actually submitted themselves for reelection.’ My opponent has never submitted herself for reelection. ... In fact, she’s never filled a complete term in any office,” Deal said. “I don’t think you need somebody who’s looking at the governorship as a stepping stone in a career and in ambition. Georgia needs a dedicated servant who will work for Georgians, who will make our lives better and the lives of your children and grandchildren.”
But Handel has her supporters as well – including former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
If the state is ever going to recover from the current economic slide, and a recent study found that Georgia’s economy is the fifth worst in the country, there needs to be a greater emphasis put on education, Handel said.
“I’ve had the privilege to travel this state in the last year and a half, and to be sure, we have some real issues,” she said. “[But] I think sometimes it’s easy to focus on what is wrong versus what’s right in this great state, and I will tell you, I saw the tremendous assets we have, and what I see for Georgia is a fantastic future where we do have the highest quality education so that every child has the opportunity to have a high quality education and graduate prepared and ready for whatever is next for that individual, and in doing that we need to embrace out teachers in a big way and make sure they’re at the table with us.”
Handel said that in order to implement these changes, the state needs a governor who is reform oriented, and she said is that candidate.
“I am a reformer. I have a track record of coming in and not only challenging the status quo but changing it, and in this time what we don’t need is a career politician, politicians who are invested in the status quo,” Handel said. “We need to be bold. We need to change things. We need to move forward in a way that will lead this state to greater things.”
“After listening, I think Mr. Deal has the Republican vote, and I think he’s going to take Roy Barnes,” said Jim Myers of Douglasville, who attended Saturday’s event. “I think he has the experience. I didn’t hear Karen speak about what experience she has. I didn’t hear her say how she feels about any of the issues.”
Phil Daniell of Cobb County agreed, saying that while he supports Deal, he’ll be in the corner of whoever faces off against Barnes in a couple of months.
“I’m a pretty staunch Republican. At the time I started voting and getting interested, I asked myself ‘What are they spending my tax money on,’ and I did some research, and I picked the ones that voted the way that if I was sitting there, that’s how I would have voted. T hose people were Republicans,” he said. “I like Nathan, but I’m going to support the one that can beat Roy Barnes, whoever that is.”
Handel and Deal spoke to an audience of several hundred residents Saturday at McIntosh Reserve Park in Carroll County. The winner of the Aug. 10 primary will meet Democrat and former governor Roy Barnes in November.
According to a McLaughlin poll taken July 22, Handel and Deal are in a virtual deadlock statewide, with Deal leading Handel by a single percentage point — 39 percent to 38 percent.
Handel led Deal in the primary, taking 33 percent of the vote. Deal, the former congressman, took 23 percent.
On Saturday, Deal said he’ll take the Republican nomination and beat Barnes in November largely because of the support and endorsements of many different people and organizations across the state – including congressmen Phil Gingrey and Lynn Westmoreland, a large number of state representatives and senators, The National Rifle Association and Georgia Right to Life.
“You’re going to see that we have the support of an overwhelming number of the members of the Georgia General Assembly who the next governor is going to have to work with,” Deal said. “The worst thing we can have in Georgia is a state of gridlock. Unless we have someone who likes the folks and can work together with them to get something done for our state, we’re going to be in a very difficult situation in a time when Georgia needs to move forward. We have great opportunities, if we’ll simply take advantage of them.”
Deal criticized Handel’s lack of experience, arguing that she is simply running for the governorship to pad her resume.
“I am not just going through the political ranks just because of ambition. I believe when you use the term like career politician one of the things that you can say is, ‘That’s somebody who has actually submitted themselves for reelection.’ My opponent has never submitted herself for reelection. ... In fact, she’s never filled a complete term in any office,” Deal said. “I don’t think you need somebody who’s looking at the governorship as a stepping stone in a career and in ambition. Georgia needs a dedicated servant who will work for Georgians, who will make our lives better and the lives of your children and grandchildren.”
But Handel has her supporters as well – including former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
If the state is ever going to recover from the current economic slide, and a recent study found that Georgia’s economy is the fifth worst in the country, there needs to be a greater emphasis put on education, Handel said.
“I’ve had the privilege to travel this state in the last year and a half, and to be sure, we have some real issues,” she said. “[But] I think sometimes it’s easy to focus on what is wrong versus what’s right in this great state, and I will tell you, I saw the tremendous assets we have, and what I see for Georgia is a fantastic future where we do have the highest quality education so that every child has the opportunity to have a high quality education and graduate prepared and ready for whatever is next for that individual, and in doing that we need to embrace out teachers in a big way and make sure they’re at the table with us.”
Handel said that in order to implement these changes, the state needs a governor who is reform oriented, and she said is that candidate.
“I am a reformer. I have a track record of coming in and not only challenging the status quo but changing it, and in this time what we don’t need is a career politician, politicians who are invested in the status quo,” Handel said. “We need to be bold. We need to change things. We need to move forward in a way that will lead this state to greater things.”
“After listening, I think Mr. Deal has the Republican vote, and I think he’s going to take Roy Barnes,” said Jim Myers of Douglasville, who attended Saturday’s event. “I think he has the experience. I didn’t hear Karen speak about what experience she has. I didn’t hear her say how she feels about any of the issues.”
Phil Daniell of Cobb County agreed, saying that while he supports Deal, he’ll be in the corner of whoever faces off against Barnes in a couple of months.
“I’m a pretty staunch Republican. At the time I started voting and getting interested, I asked myself ‘What are they spending my tax money on,’ and I did some research, and I picked the ones that voted the way that if I was sitting there, that’s how I would have voted. T hose people were Republicans,” he said. “I like Nathan, but I’m going to support the one that can beat Roy Barnes, whoever that is.”
obviously you didn't watch the debate on sunday. or you were asleep.. ms handel answered no questions... she shucked every last one of them. including the direct question from mr deal at the end of the debate....
and since you admit you are not from around here... what do you know about the good ol boy net work??
this man was straight forward and answered the questions asked of him. he is also endorsed by newt gingrich and both republicans and democrats and independants. what is wrong with that???
and he was polite and didn't raise his tone or speak at ms handel when she was very rude to him... she came across as bitchy and wanting to fight. she is a dirty tactic only polotician... aren't we all tired of those traits...
name some back room deals you discovered on you web search and verified the truth in. then tell us what he ran away from.
Karen Handel has not been straightforward with Georgians. She has a padded resume and zero college credits. She is ill prepared and would destroy Georgia's economy.