Poll: Handel leads Deal by 9 points in GOP runoff (Georgia)

AJC ^ | August 2, 2010 | AJC Staff

[fkabuckeyesrule]

The local Republican-oriented strategy firm of Landmark Communications is out this afternoon with the first polls in the Republican runoffs for governor and attorney general. In the governor’s race, former secretary of state Karen Handel has a nine-point lead over former congressman Nathan Deal, 45.8 percent to 37.1 percent. Undecideds were measured at 17.1 percent.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

Sarah comes to town next monday.

[Principled]

Dayum I didn’t expect that.

This is all Sarah. I don’t know why she chose her.

[Always A Marine]

I just got a flyer in today's mail from the Handel campaign libeling Nathan Deal as "one of the most corrupt members of Congress" -- and outrageous and damnable lie. But slashing other Republicans appears to be Karen Handel's sole modus operandi. No wonder she skipped the only GOP debate.

Handel's gutter tactic against a good man -- and Sarah Palin's complicit hand in it -- just makes me sick.

[Principled]

If everyone knew Deal like we seem to, it would be sure to backfire. But not everyone has had him for their representative.

I wonder... I think everyone is as sick of gutter politics as they are gutter politicians. Maybe the flyer will backfire.

But why did Sarah go for Handel?

[Momto2]

I’m trying to think the best of Sarah and just imagine she is spreading herself too thin and not checking out these endorsements closely enough. That said - I hated that Handel mailing... I hope it backfires! It was just trashy....Hope the turn-out will be the key for Deal.

[Always A Marine]

Apparently, Sarah will always back the chick in a GOP race. That's her choice, but what bothers me is that she would take sides in a GOP primary in a race she knows little about -- and to back the least-conservative candidate, to boot.

Sarah Palin's stock has dipped in my view. She might have proven that she has the courage to speak, but she has also shown that she lacks the wisdom to know when to keep quiet. With her endorsement of Karen Handel, Palin has unwittingly done a lot of damage.

[Raider Sam]

I think there is only 1 obvious reason for Palin’s endorsement...

[ansel12]

Apparently, Sarah will always back the chick in a GOP race.

Except that isn't true, try telling it to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson or Dede Scozzafava, or Senator Lisa Murkowski, Palin endorsed men over all of them, even going outside of the GOP to a third party for one of the men.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I think she may have been sold a bill of goods by a guy named eric erickson who has the peach pundit website here in Georgia.Check out that website and look at what happens when the name Deal is written.I dont think that poll is credible as I tried to find out more about the questions and could not find squat.Suspicious

[Always A Marine]

Correct you are, ansel. But I can't fathom any other reason for Sarah to reach into a field of seven GOP candidates and endorse the least conservative among them -- and the only one not endorsed by the National Rifle Association or Georgia Right to Life. Palin would have done better to keep her silence in a distant race which she knows nothing about.

My Congressman is Lynn Westmoreland, a great Conservative and a Christian gentleman -- and a close friend and supporter of Nathan Deal. Here is what Lynn's wife, Joan Westmoreland, has to say about Karen Handel's trashing of Nathan Deal:

"Although I appreciate the enthusiasm for conservative ideas that Sarah Palin has been spreading across this country, I think she’s made a mistake here.

"Alaska is a far cry from Georgia and I’m pretty sure Ms. Palin can’t smell our peaches from her front porch. This is not just about who wears lipstick, it’s about who will govern this state with integrity and conviction.

"Sarah Palin doesn’t even know Nathan Deal, but my husband Lynn and I do!!! He is a kind, honest and generous Christian man. Like my husband Lynn, he was one of the most dependable votes in the House of Representatives for our conservative values. He is a staunch defender of the sanctity of life, and he’s endorsed by Georgia Right to Life.

"I am appalled that Karen Handel would smear the name of a man who has served his nation and his state honorably for his entire life, and that is why I had to speak out today. I care about conservative values and I care about this great state, and I know that Nathan Deal is the only choice to lead the State if Georgia."

Eric Johnson, a good Conservative who finished a close third in the primary race, has endorsed Nathan Deal -- as has Savannah Congressman Jack Kingston. I am hopeful that conservative Georgians will see through Karen Handel's filth and Sarah Palin's pixie dust...

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Rasmussen poll has Nathan Deal beating barnes(RAT BASTARD) by six points which is outside the margin of error. I dont see how that squares the poll by landmark. I smell a rat with all this. How does handel lead by 7 against Deal when barnes is being lead by Deal by 6 points. Handel just lost her Bibb county campaign manager today as he has switched to the deal campaign. The Erick Johnson and Oyxindine voters are starting to trend towards Nathan Deal which is the word I got today. Handel has called just about all the Republicans in Georgia Politics crooks. Some are but not all.

[ansel12]

Yours is a race that I have not looked into, but I did want to correct your post on the matter of Palin and endorsements related to sex.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Hey Marine,Could you please post that statement to the folks at peachpundit.I think some people over there could really us it.Thanks much.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I believe there to be a whole lot of truth in what you said.

[freeangel]

“Eric Johnson, a good Conservative who finished a close third in the primary race, has endorsed Nathan Deal “

Than ks, I hadn’t heard that, but I wish Johnson HAD won it. He was WAY above both Handel and DEAL department.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

The peach pundit website is down as of late monday night.I cant find any current news with regards to this race.Something is just not right.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

FTR would that be a the NRA that endorsed Roy Barnes in 1998?

[Always A Marine]

FTR would that be a the NRA that endorsed Roy Barnes in 1998?

The very one -- which speaks volumes about Karen Handel. If the NRA's bar is low enough for Roy Barnes to meet its criteria for endorsement, what does it say about Karen Handel that she cannot gain the NRA's approval?

Karen Handel was the only GOP candidate for governor who failed to gain the NRA's endorsement. Out of seven candidates, only Karen Handel did not qualify.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

A+ for spin.

[Always A Marine]

How is that spin?

Karen Handel is the least conservative of all seven GOP candidates, period. Karen Handel is the only GOP candidate whom the NRA and Georgia Right to Life both refused to endorse. Karen Handel denied that she ever gave money to Log Cabin Republicans -- until a photocopy of her handwritten dues check surfaced. And Karen Handel was the only GOP candidate who refused to participate in the pre-Primary debate. Gee, I wonder why?