I had a feeling this guy would have a 47% moment:
http://www.usnews.com/...
National Republicans have fretted for months that one of their Senate candidates in Georgia would step in it – they just didn’t think it would be this one.
David Perdue, the millionaire former CEO of Dollar General and Reebok, had recently lept ahead in the five-way GOP Peach State primary – a development welcomed by establishment party hands nervous about the more ideological-driven candidacies of Reps. Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey.
But a video has emerged showing Perdue slighting one of his opponents who only has a high school degree and the rest of the primary field for never having lived overseas – two comments that drip of elitism and will undoubtedly open him up for immediate attacks and greater scrutiny.
All when he was just capturing a spurt of momentum ahead of the May 20 primary.
Speaking to a county GOP group back in January, Perdue is recorded on video saying, “There’s a high school graduate in this race, OK? I’m sorry, but these issues are so much broader, so complex. There’s only one candidate in this race that’s ever lived outside of the U.S.” - U.S. News, 4/3/14
Which opponent was Perdue referring to? Karen Handel:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Handel's education arose as an issue when she ran for governor in 2010. She said she graduated from high school with a diploma and not with a GED. She has also spoken about how she was "a teenager who left a broken home and went out on my own."
Perdue's campaign spokesman Derrick Dickey doubled down on the candidate's remarks in statement to the AJC.
"David was simply making the case that he is the most qualified person in this race to help get our economy back on track so that we can start paying down the massive federal debt," Dickey said. "His comment was based on facts that are a matter of public record."
Perdue hasn't kept his disdain for the primary field a secret. In a campaign ad released in February, he likened his opponents to wailing babies.
In a statement, Handel Campaign Manager Corry Bliss replied, "It is disappointing that David would demean someone who -- by no fault of her own -- moved out of an abusive home at age 17, and with her own hard work and determination, is the embodiment of the American Dream."
"Karen is an example of how, with great perseverance and sheer will, the circumstances under which you grow up do not dictate your ability to succeed," he added. "While David boasts about all the time he spent living in Europe and Asia, and all of the millions of dollars he intends to spend on this race, this election is about who conservatives can relate to and trust to get results in the United States Senate." - Huffington Post, 4/3/14
Here's why this is bad for Perdue:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/...
The problem here for Perdue, however, is twofold. First, he discounts Handel's backstory. She left an abusive home at 17 and finished high school while holding a job. After working her way up in her job and in Republican politics, she never finished college. Second, her education level matches that of many Georgians.
According to census statistics, only 27.8 percent of Georgians over age 25 hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 84.4 percent have a high school diploma. For the 72.2 percent of Georgians without that college degree, Perdue's boast may tell them they're not smart enough for higher office.
And as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution points out, neither Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle nor Rep. Lynn Westmoreland has a college degree. - National Journal, 4/3/14
So yeah. This guy is suppose to be the GOP establishment's dream candidate to defeat Michelle Nunn (D. GA). But now, he just made himself look like an asshole and made Handel look good. And she has a big force behind her:
http://onlineathens.com/...
Sarah Palin forcefully defended the only woman fighting for the Republican nomination for Georgia's open Senate seat and hit back Thursday against a rival's apparent dismissal of Karen Handel's high school education.
David Perdue, the former Dollar General CEO, said that "there's a high school graduate in this race, OK? I'm sorry but these issues are so much broader, so complex" as he talked about the economy and the federal deficit during a January meeting captured on video.
Appearing at a county women's group Thursday, Palin said Perdue's comments were disappointing and praised Handel's ability to overcome the struggles of her youth. Handel, a former secretary of state, has said she left an abusive home as a teen, using a message of overcoming obstacles as a key element of her campaigns.
"She pulled herself up. Nothing was handed to her on a platter, fed to her on a silver spoon," Palin said of Handel. "For those who would criticize and mock that, it really makes me question their judgment."
Handel also touched on Perdue's comments, earning huge applause from the largely female crowd at a restaurant south of downtown Atlanta.
"Some in this race think the problems in Washington are a little too complex for a gal like me," Handel said. "I'm here to tell you that solving the problems in Washington is going to take guts and resolve." - Online Athens, 4/3/14
So we'll see where Perdue is standing with GOP voters now. Meanwhile, Nunn remains competitive in the race:
http://www.wsbtv.com/...
An exclusive Channel 2 Action News Poll shows Democrat Michelle Nunn locked in a tie with nearly every Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Georgia.
The poll conducted by Landmark Communications/Rosetta Stone asked who voters would chose for U.S Senate in the general election and pitted Nunn against Republicans David Perdue, Jack Kingston, Karen Handel, Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey.
Each combination of candidates falls within the margin of error of 4 percent. The poll included 600 registered voters.
The Republican with the largest lead over Nunn is David Perdue, by a 38 percent to 33 percent margin. Nunn actually leads Karen Handel by 1 percent and trails the other Republicans by a very small percentage in a head-to-head matchup.
“It’s a great position for her to be in,” Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson said of Nunn. “I think right now, Republicans are very scared. They don’t really have a clear nominee that they want to support that can beat Michelle in November.” - WSB TV Atlanta 2, 4/2/14
And Nunn is out with her first ad:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Georgia Democrat Michelle Nunn launched the first TV ad of her Senate bid Thursday with a nod to George H.W. Bush, who started a foundation she once oversaw.
"While leading President Bush's Points of Light Foundation, we grew it into the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service," Nunn says in the ad.
"I know things can be better," she concludes in the ad, which is titled "Optimist."
Nunn launched her ad just after a conservative group hit the airwaves with a negative spot tying her to President Obama. The contrasting ads illustrate the battle lines in the general election. Nunn is expected to cast herself as a moderate problem-solver while Republicans are preparing to tie her to to the president at every turn.
The daughter of former senator Sam Nunn, Michelle Nunn has a clear path to the Democratic nomination in one of the two states where Democrats have a chance of making a pickup this year. She's raised heaps of cash and has been gearing up for the general election while the crowded and competitive GOP field fights for the nomination. - Washington Post, 4/3/14
Now of course changing demographics, a candidate with strong name recognition, a nasty GOP primary/runoff and Medicaid Expansion are all promising signs for Nunn. But here's another reason it's important Nunn wins:
http://theweek.com/...
Jason Carter (D) won't knock off Gov. Nathan Deal (R) unless Nunn wins her race. Nunn's not the only Georgia Democrat with a big family name who's running for statewide office. President Jimmy Carter's grandson Jason (D) is seeking to knock off the incumbent Deal. A state senator from the Atlanta area, Carter may have a tougher road to victory than Nunn does. Not only has has made some slip-ups early on, Galloway said, but Deal is maintaining decent public support after his state's botched preparations and response to recent winter storms. Still, the incumbent governor's approval ratings have at times dipped below the critical 50 percent level, suggesting that he isn't sitting pretty. A new poll shows Deal with a statistically insignificant edge over Carter, but with a lot of voters still undecided. As of now, "Jason Carter does not win the governor's race unless Michelle Nunn wins the Senate seat," Galloway said. Even if Democrats fall short in 2014, 2018's gubernatorial election may be even more important; that's because the winner of that election will serve when the state undergoes redistricting after 2020's census. - The Week, 4/3/14
Something to think about. So lets make Georgia blue this year by getting involved and donating to Nunn and Carter's campaign:
http://www.michellenunn.com/
http://carterforgovernor.com/