In my newspaper column today I make clear I am sticking with Karen Handel in the Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary.
This is the silliest thing. It is virtually unheard of for a candidate going into a runoff with a greater than ten point lead to lose the runoff. Nathan Deal, in the midst of a federal grand jury investigation of his business conduct, is throwing everything he can at Karen Handel and she is doing it back to him. But Deal is the one crying like a baby over it, denying he is going negative.
They both are. It’s how one wins a runoff in an intra-party battle.
For the life of me, I cannot see how it is wise for the GOP to pick a 69 year old big spending former Democrat under federal investigation to challenge former Governor Roy Barnes.
Here’s the start to my column:
Silly Season — that time when Democrats try to out Democrat one another and Republicans try to out Republican one another — is almost over.
Voters are concerned about jobs, the economy, making ends meet and education. Nathan Deal and Karen Handel are talking about gays and abortion. This is what primaries are like. Runoffs are worse.
The way to win a runoff is very simple: The first candidate to go nuclear on the other candidate wins. Negative campaigning works. It works well. It is and has always been how politicians win intra-party runoffs.
Neither Deal nor Handel will support gay marriage or abortions. They are both pro-life and support traditional marriage. They are both unquestionably conservative.
I will vote for Karen Handel.
You can read the whole thing here.
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Caleb Howe
She's got my vote
blacktrain Friday, August 6th at 1:39PM EST (link)I hate mudslingin’, sideshow politics. But it must work, or nobody would waste precious money doing it.
If Deal wins, Barnes will eat him alive.
Handel’s gonna win; the good-old-boy networks are getting real nervous.
‘Bout time.
And GO CARL! We need a fireman in the House!
Acta Non Verba!
“Saddle up, boys, the Sons of Liberty are ridin’ tonight!”
Voting for Handel
WoodstockRedCat Friday, August 6th at 1:55PM EST (link)She has my vote.
The primary and run-off has been ugly but Dems are chomping at the bit to hit Deal and attach him to Wash DC.
This one could be close.
sacody Friday, August 6th at 1:56PM EST (link)Deal is really riding the anti-illegal immigration wave right now in his ad buys. I hope Handel realizes how big of an issue this is with the base. This will be a race to watch.
I wonder how
redtillimdead (Diary) Friday, August 6th at 10:57PM EST (link)Thats working for him, when Handel has Brewer’s endorsement.
Nancy Pelosi can kiss my asstroturf.
Palin and Erick
rdelbov Friday, August 6th at 2:47PM EST (link)are spot on. Vote for Handel –early and often. Okay maybe just once in August and again in November
For 2012
jomo2009 Friday, August 6th at 3:39PM EST (link)would it be unreasonably optimistic to hope for a Haley-Handel ticket?
Huckabee & Palin coming to GA
chihank Friday, August 6th at 3:55PM EST (link)This weekend, Huckabee will stump for Deal.
Monday, Palin will stump for Handel.
Alert! Handel / Deal tied
chihank Friday, August 6th at 5:21PM EST (link)Handel 46
Deal 46
http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/story.aspx?sid=1539
Handel Can't Beat Barnes
allenj37 Friday, August 6th at 5:57PM EST (link)And she is running the dirtiest campaign I’ve seen in years. I voted for her in the first round, but she lost my vote with her vicious attacks that have nothing to do with the issues. I don’t feel god about Deal, but I think he can beat Barnes and would be the lesser of two evils. Barnes is a tort lawyer who is all about pandering to the teachers’ unions.
Hello there allenj37 ...
Martin Knight (Diary) Friday, August 6th at 6:02PM EST (link)This is Redstate. We’re not too friendly toward defeatists here. The official position is that either Handel or Deal would defeat Roy Barnes.
Are we clear? Thanks.
OK, I'm going to nip this in the bud.
Moe Lane (Diary) Friday, August 6th at 6:05PM EST (link)By now you’ve noticed that your account is suspended, allenj37: oddly enough, I don’t quite believe that an eight-day account with one comment on it using an email and user name that does not exist elsewhere on the Internet and which is being used to make a notably link-free attack against one candidate :inhale: is here in good faith. But tell you what: convince the Directors that you’re legit and they’ll turn you back on.
I don’t like political operatives defecating in RS’s comment sections, folks. Don’t make me think that you are one.
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redtillimdead (Diary) Friday, August 6th at 11:04PM EST (link)Someone who has been in Washington for 16 years and is under a federal investigation is exactly what we need to beat a relatively popular former governor. FYI, people from Washington running for Gov this year are performing terrible in primaries. If they perform so bad in Republican primaries, how can they win general elections? So far, only 1 US Rep has been nominated for Gov (Mary Fallin) and 1 Senators (Sam Brownback). Rep. Pete Hoekstra (MI), Gresham Barrett (SC), Artur Davis (AL), Zach Wamp (TN), and Sen. KBH (TX) have lost primaries. Long time members of congress are not the best candidates this yr, and Nathan Deal can NOT beat Roy Barnes.
Nancy Pelosi can kiss my asstroturf.
There's a better poll
SirGladiator (Diary) Friday, August 6th at 6:59PM EST (link)I saw a better poll a few days or so ago, showing Handel up 9 points. No doubt since its a runoff it will ultimately come down to get out the vote efforts anyway, and I certainly agree that we need to vote for the fresh face over the career politician. I think most voters will come to that conclusion as well. It’s excellent news that Sarah is coming into Georgia to help Handel across the finish line, just like she did for Saxby in his 2008 runoff. We’re gonna win this one just like we did in SC!