Former Rep. Deal in runoff for Georgia governor nomination

Former Rep. Nathan Deal
(R-Ga.) forced his way into the gubernatorial runoff after coming from behind
to take second in Tuesday’s vote. He faces an uphill battle against former
Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel (R), who surged ahead of the
seven-person field after getting endorsed by Sarah Palin.

Handel finished first with 33
percent of the vote to 24 percent for Deal. The Associated Press declared the
two entrants into the August runoff with 2,317 of 2,902 precincts
reporting. 

Deal left Congress in March
to focus on his gubernatorial bid. The crowded race was thrown open after
Palin, in a July 12 note posted on her Facebook page, called Handel a “reformer.”

“This pro-life,
pro-Constitutionalist with a can-do attitude and a record of fighting for
ethics in government is ready to serve in the governor’s office,” the former
Alaska governor wrote.

The announcement pushed
Handel to the front of the pack and, as in South Carolina, sparked a vicious
reaction from her rivals.

Deal, in a recent statement,
called Palin’s decision “disappointing” and then accused Handel of voting to
fund gay “outreach” to “kids.”

“As Fulton Commission chair,
Handel voted to give taxpayer dollars to ‘Youth Pride’ which did outreach to
gay and ‘questioning’ kids as young as 13 and funded seminars such as ‘Unsung
Heroes of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community’ — this was during
a budget crisis,” Deal said.

He has been endorsed by
former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.).

Last month Palin’s backing
helped South Carolina Republican Nikki Haley claim her party’s gubernatorial
nod. Haley won a runoff against Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-S.C.)

State Insurance Commissioner
John Oxendine slipped to fourth place after leading the pack in polls for much
of the race. 

The winner will face former
Gov. Roy Barnes, who handily won the Democratic primary earlier in the evening.
Current Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) is termed limited. 

The runoff is Aug. 10.