Hucakabee Endorses Deal and Graves!

Wow, is this ever a big deal in the Republican primary this year? Handel gets the endorsement from Palin, and Deal follows with the endorsement of Mike Huckabee! Well, before I just up and blurt it out that I am joining Huckabee in his endorsements of of Deal and Graves... oops! Guess , I already did. Well, still let me explain. I am certainly more impressed with the Huckabee endorsement than I am the Gingrich endorsement, and the Georgia Right to Life endorsement really matters to me! Values matter, and I know that Handel has raised the issue that she is pro-life even though she didn't qualify for the GRTL endorsement. She just had too many exceptions. That doesn't mean that I believe she is an evil woman. In the Primary we are just trying to determine who is the best person for the job, and I am convinced that Nathan Deal is that person for us right now.

Do you get all of those slick glossy political mailers in your mail box too? I guess those have also tended to help me make a decision in this race. Right from the start the Handel campaign made attacking her opponents a major thrust. The goal was apparently to paint the rest as the corrupt-politics-as-usual crowd, and herself as the people's champion. I think she is gambling on the political unrest in the parties and the success of the tea party. Unfortunately, she hasn't told the whole truth and nothing but the truth in her attack ads, and I'm afraid the dirty politics has had the reverse effect, making her the corrupt-politics-as-usual candidate instead of her opponents.

YOU MUST READ THIS statement from Maurice Atkinson former Bibb County chairman for the Handel Campaign as of August 1st.

"For months I have been organizing for Karen Handel in her quest for governor. Karen is a friend and was helpful to me when I served on the Bibb County Board of Assessors. Several years ago, when she was running for Sec. of State she visited a Bibb GOP breakfast. After the meeting I asked her about the issues Fulton County faced with the Board of Assessors and how the issue was taken care of. She put me in contact with her Chief of Staff and they provided documents and resources which I then gave to our Commissioners. The rest is history. From that time, I developed a respect and friendship for the Handels. I admired her tenacious spirit and can do attitude.
.
"When she decided to run for governor, supporting Karen was a no brainer. I organized and connected people extolling her personality and tenacity. While many of you knew of my differences with one of the gubernatorial candidates, never did I purposely and publicly attempt to humiliate or malign him. I built up Karen, based on the Karen Handel I knew.
.
"Now the field is narrowed to 2 candidates. Coming out of the primary, Karen had momentum. She was nearly 12 points above her competitors. People were inspired and motivated for “reform”. But something happened. Her ad just days before the election bugged me and I contacted her staff. She ran an ad portraying EVERYONE’s a crook but me. They shrugged it off and so did I.

.
"Then Karen got into another battle with the Georgia Right To Life over stupid comments. Karen then began calling foul to the Deal campaign and began trashing Nathan because he wouldn’t get involved in her issues with a private organization. I again spoke with the campaign and suggested to them that they stay focused on the issues, not things they have no control over. Daniel assured me they were, but had to respond, as they were being overwhelmed with calls into the office. I strongly suggested they refocus to their message and what Karen could accomplish as governor.

.
"This week the Handel campaign unleashes a snarky advertisement calling Congressman Deal corrupt! In concert with the ad, her surrogates have lit up the blogosphere with a literal trashing of Congressman Deal. Then sends out a mailer promoting a website funded by none other than GEORGE SOROS! You can probably lob some bricks at Mr. Deal for serving as a congressman, but to purposely and aggressively destroy his character is morally wrong. I will have no part of it. I am resigned from supporting Karen Handel.
.
"I decided to do my own review of the candidates and posted items at the Bibb County Republican Party website [Maurice owns this site]. My findings are that there is a significant contrast between these candidates. Nathan Deal has spent a life of service. He is a military veteran (captain), was an assistant District Attorney, Juvenile Judge, State Legislator and Congressman. He conducts himself in a kind and humble manner, yet deliberate and focused.
.
"This election is a mere days away and early voting has begun. Do we want a respected public servant who has lived a life marked with esteem or are we going for door number two, a political neophyte we really don’t know much about, who touts a resume that is incredibly suspect, but can say great buzz words. For me, I’m supporting a real patriot, Congressman Nathan Deal.
.
Kindest Regards,

Maurice Atkinson

I really liked the last appeal from Deal. There was no attack politics, but a strong sense of purpose. Handel has been divisive already, and it may be that all those she has unjustly attacked will rally to defeat her bid for the party's nomination. If she succeeds, then Roy Barnes might very well be the next Governor of Georgia, and I certainly don't believe Georgia needs another Barnes administration!

I have chosen to personally endorse Tom Graves for similar reasons. I believe the Republican party already went through this process to elect him, and believe the political climate has not changed that much since his election.

Blessings

ARTICLE UPDATE: I make this brief because it's now Tuesday morning and I am heading to the polls before I go to work. My choices in the Run-off for the Republican Primary are as follows:

For Governor: Nathan Deal
For Attorney General: Sam Olens
For Commissioner of Insurance: Maria Sheffield
For U.S. Representative 9th District: Tom Graves
For County Board of Education at Large: Tony Stanley
For County Board of Education District 2: Rodney D. Lock

Now I can go vote. Have a blessed day.