I had hoped that Karen Handel would be able to get into the runoff for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. She is a dear friend and was a great candidate. Though underfunded, she tirelessly built momentum in the final few weeks of the campaign. But Phil Gingrey was able to get enough support out of the metro-Atlanta portion of his district that it, among other things, held Karen back.

She and Steve are dear friends and I wish the very best for them.

Into the runoff, I will support my friend Jack Kingston. Jack is with us a thousand percent on every social issue out there. Jack has just been on the Appropriations Committee and his fiscal votes over the years have not been as good as I thought Handel’s would be. So why not David Perdue?

First, I think CEO’s in the Senate tend to be terrible. They make great executives, but build temperaments poorly suited for the legislative branch. Second, Kingston has never been the insiders’ guy. His run for Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, which RedState supported, showed that. He’s always been a relative outsider while on the inside.

Perdue’s record, however, has consistently shown him to be the insiders’ favorite sort of outsider. Kingston may have a history of earmarks, but Kingston is far removed from the label of “crony capitalist.” I think he will be with us far more and far more consistently in the Senate than Perdue. In short, Jack will have our back and I can’t say that about David.

Finally, after all these years of knowing and liking Jack Kingston, I’ll have the pleasure of voting for him.

In the 10th Congressional District, Jody Hice will be in a runoff. Hice is a great guy. He is vying for the seat against Mike Collins, the son of the former congressman for that area. This ties into the 11th Congressional District where Barry Loudermilk will face Bob Barr, who left Congress as a Republican, became a libertarian, ran for President, lost, supported Eric Holder for Attorney General, and now wants back in Congress.

I never like to see kids of congressmen running for Dad’s seat, nor do I like to see former Congressmen so desperate to return to the swamp.

Hice and Loudermilk are great guys, solid conservatives, and will do Georgia proud. I’m absolutely proud to support Jack Kingston, Barry Loudermilk, and Jody Hice.