Handel "All In" For Governor's Race

The following statement from Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel was released today, December 22nd, 2009:

I have spoken to Governor Perdue and informed him that I will resign as Secretary of State by the end of the year.

This was an extraordinarily difficult decision - professionally and personally. However, I know that it is the right one - for the Office of the Secretary of State, the team there, and the citizens of Georgia who have entrusted me with this important position, as well as for my campaign for Governor.

Over the past month, Georgia's economic climate has continued to deteriorate, and we've all experienced disbelief and anger over the actions of some in the State Legislature. As I've considered this new landscape, it became clear to me that, while certainly manageable, serving as Secretary of State while also running for Governor was no longer the best approach for the office or my campaign.

I also took into consideration that I did not want any perceived conflicts of interest concerning my overseeing the primary or general elections, investigating complaints that arise, and certifying the results of the elections while a candidate for Governor and serving as Secretary of State.

Georgia's next Governor must be a real leader with solid, conservative principles, a vision for our state, and the executive/business management experience needed to actually run our state and achieve meaningful progress on the issues we face.

Our next Governor must also have a commitment to ethics reform that is beyond question and a track record of ethical leadership. These are the reasons I decided to run for Governor, and they are the reasons that I am going to win.

So, as we enter the new year, the people of Georgia need to know that I am all in for the Governor's race. This decision allows me to focus 100% on becoming the Republican nominee and winning the election in November.

This decision allows the Governor to appoint an interim Secretary of State to focus completely on the important issues in the agency, including the ongoing situation with the US Department of Justice involving Georgia's voter verification process and overseeing the 2010 elections.

The next Secretary of State will have the benefit of a team of very talented individuals who will continue to serve the office - and the State - with the same level of commitment and dedication that I have appreciated for three years. I am confident that the transition will be smooth, and the people of Georgia will be well served by this team and whomever the Governor appointments to lead them.

Finally, I want to thank the people of Georgia for their trust and confidence in me to serve as their Secretary of State. My thanks, as well, to the tremendous team within the Secretary of State's office for their commitment and hard work.

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Handel for Governor E-Update

Our Thoughts With Flood Victims

Karen, Steve and the entire campaign team want to extend their thoughts and prayers to the victims of this weeks terrible flooding. The loss of life – especially of children – is painful beyond words. Our hearts also go out to all of those who suffered property damage and financial loss. Tragedies like this put into perspective how vulnerable we all are and how precious life is.

Please take a moment and make a donation to The Red Cross. This great organization is working across Georgia today to assist those in need. To make a donation, follow this link.

Karen Pulls Away From the Pack in Recent Poll

A poll released today by Strategic Vision shows that Karen has pulled away from the pack and has made it essentially a two-person race for Governor.

According to pollster David Johnson who conducted the survey:

“Secretary Handel increased her support to move into a solid second place... In making her gains she continues to solidify her support among female voters. In many ways, she has demonstrated a strong comeback from several months ago when Congressman Deal first entered the race. Her current numbers are the highest we have registered for her in any of our polls. Her challenge is to expand her base support of support from beyond Fulton County and female voters.”

“Congressman Deal remains in the top tier but has taken a beating over the past month falling into third place,” said Johnson. “Part of this decline of support can be attributed to the negative news stories and also concerns about his age. However this decline can be overcome and is happening early enough in the campaign that he can regain his footing, barring other negative attacks.”

Karen continues to dominate straw polls

Insider Advantage reported this week on Karen’s strong showing in straw polls across the state. Karen won in DeKalb County which is where John Oxendine is from. She won in Oglethorpe and Muscogee Counties. She also did very well in Union County, finishing second, which is in Congressman Deal’s district.

These results show that Karen has a broad base of support all across the state. Her campaign organization and grassroots support is growing as more and more Republicans join he “Bring it On” campaign.

Here are the results:
Oglethorpe Co. Straw Poll Last Weekend
Karen Handel: 80
Nathan Deal: 60
John Oxendine: 44
Eric Johnson: 27
Austin Scott: 9
Jeff Chapman: 6
Ray McBerry: 5

Union Co. straw poll, Sept. 12

Nathan Deal: 24
Karen Handel: 13
John Oxendine: 13
Eric Johnson: 4
Ray McBerry: 3
Austin Scott: 3

Muscogee County Straw Poll September 8
Karen Handel: 57
Nathan Deal: 42
Eric Johnson: 41
John Oxendine: 37
Austin Scott: 25
Ray McBerry: 1
Jeff Chapman: 0C
hose not to vote: 6

DeKalb GOP Straw Poll August 29
Karen Handel: 101
John Oxendine: 63
Eric Johnson: 38
Nathan Deal: 27
Ray McBerry: 20
Austin Scott: 7

Show Your Support for Karen at Upcoming Events

Over the next 90 days Karen's campaign has dozens of events scheduled all across the state. We need your help and if you're interested in showing your support for Karen the next time she's in your community -- or if you would like to host an event of your own -- please let us know.
Contact Ally (ally@karenhandel.com) or Amanda (amanda@karenhandel.com) for more information.

Young Professional Kick-Off Event a Huge Success

Last week we kicked-off the Young Professionals for Karen with an event in Atlanta. It was a huge success with almost 200 young professionals attending and showing their support for Karen.

We want to send a special thanks to the host committee for putting together such a strong event, and to all those who attended and joined Karen’s “Bring it On” campaign.

The hosts for the event were: Charlene Marino, Sarah Hawkins, Brian Stimson, Andrew Allman, Daniel Allman, Charlie Ozburn, Hunter Hill, Vincent Russo, Bo Keatley, Clay Cheshire, David Gordon, Andre Egros, Ginger DuBose, Rob Fortson, Steve Rickman, Danielle Simms, Jennifer Tommasello, Amy Salloum, Steve Butler, Jason Lunsford, Tray Guepet, Mike Kerfeld, Chris Wagner, Baoky Vu, Emily Culbertson, Craig Cancienne, Glenn Harvin, Amy Shultz, Lesley Newell and Chad Wingate.
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Come see Karen Handel in Fayette County this Thursday, September 10!

Karen Handel will take her “Bring it On” campaign for Governor to Fayette County on Thursday. Come out and support Karen at this great event.

The Greater Fayette County Republican Women will host the event this Thursday, September 10 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at:

The Downtown Grill
1158 Senoia Road
Suite B
Tyrone, GA

If you would like to attend, please contact the GFCRW President, Grace Caldwell, at (678) 642-4187.

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Handel Announces More Endorsements

Senator John Douglas, PSC Commissioner Chuck Eaton, Four More County Commissioners Join Karen's Team

Karen Handel announced today that Senator John Douglas and Public Service Commission member Chuck Eaton joined four additional county commissioners from across Georgia in endorsing Handel's campaign.

"I am honored to have the support of these fine public servants and community leaders," Handel said. "Our momentum continues to grow as we expand our grassroots network across the state. These endorsements are humbling as well as exciting."

"Karen is the candidate who is best prepared to lead our state," Douglas said. "With her combination of business, executive and political experience, she will take on the tough issues and get them resolved."

"Karen is just the kind of leader we need as Governor," said Eaton. "Her 'Bring it on' attitude is just what we need to solve the tough issues of jobs, water and transportation."

The addition of four new county commissioner endorsements makes a total of 28 county commissioners who have joined Karen's campaign. The four commissioners who endorsed today are:

Tom Worthan, Douglas County Commission Chairman
Dan Reyen, Hart County Commissioner
Bill Scott, Lumpkin County Commissioner
Ashley Hendrix, Carroll County Commissioner

"Karen is the only candidate for Governor in either party that has served in office at the local level," Worthan said. "She has walked in our shoes and understands the issues we face on a daily basis. She will make a great Governor."

Karen Handel for Governor E-Update:

A Great Week!

We had a terrific week and really got around to meet a lot of people. I spoke to a good group of Home Depot employees on Monday and told them that -- when it comes to this campaign -- I can do it, but I need their help. I don't think I could get away with stealing their slogan for our bumper stickers but it seemed to go over well at this gathering.

I also spoke to the Gwinnett Chamber, attended the Snapping Shoals Electric Membership Corp. Annual Lunch, and addressed the Spalding County G.O.P. (where we had a serious run on bumper stickers -- a personal benchmark I use to gauge enthusiasm).

This weekend we'll head to Hiawassee with a contingent of energetic volunteers for the Georgia Mountain Fair Parade on Saturday.

The Washington Democrats Go Wild on Taxes

The Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress are frankly scaring the heck out of people more and more. The latest? A plan to take small businesses, family farmers and couples making $350,000 a year, call them millionaires, and tax them to pay for a socialized health care program. That’s a strange way to create wealth.

Call me crazy, but I think taxing small businesses and entrepreneurs is the last thing our government should be doing right now, and we need to fight back hard against this.

I am a strong supporter of the FairTax. Eliminating the federal personal and corporate income tax, capital gains, payroll, gift and estate taxes, and replacing them with a revenue-neutral personal consumption tax would create a much fairer tax structure for families and businesses. It will also encourage savings. We should also repeal of the 16th Amendment and take away the federal government’s authority to levy income taxes. This would return the powers to tax to the American people.

We need honest, real tax reform – a complete review of all state and local taxes and a new, simplified tax code that normal people can understand. That is what I am going to do as Governor.

Illegal Immigration

There has been lots of new talk in Washington about illegal immigration. Those Washington politicians are always good for a chuckle. The fact is that while they talk, they have failed to protect our borders – which is one of their few clear responsibilities after all. And now that they have let millions of illegals into the country, they want to give them the right to vote and provide them free health care at our expense.

I pushed a law that would make people prove their citizenship when they register to vote. It passed and the courts approved it.

Now the Obama Justice Department has told us that we can’t enforce this law. They want to bring ACORN down to Georgia to sign up illegals and turn them out to vote on Election Day.

Well I am fighting them as Secretary of State and you’d better believe I am going to keep fighting them with your help.

Everyone, thanks for your continued support as I push forward in our campaign for Governor.

Your friend,

Karen Handel

Handel to Georgia’s Challenges: "Bring It On!"

With a video and a speech before the crowd of GOP activists at the Georgia Republican Convention today, Secretary of State Karen Handel brought a rousing message of change as well as her personal story of beating the odds in life and politics into the limelight.

Handel’s video tells of her leaving a troubled home situation at 17, getting a job and finishing high school on her own. It then chronicles her history of facing challenges in the Bush/Quayle White House, as Chairman of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce (where she learned that all but $10 had been embezzled from the bank accounts), as the Fulton County Commission Chairman who shot down a $100 million tax increase and balanced the budget through responsible cuts instead and as the longshot candidate who ended up winning big over a powerful state senate leader to become Georgia’s first Republican Secretary of State. The recurring mantra of the video was that Karen faced each challenge with an attitude of “bring it on!”

As Karen stepped to the podium to give her speech, her campaign’s new website went live on the Internet. It includes the video, the text of Karen’s speech, an issues section where voters can examine her record and her positions and much more. The website too is “Bring it On!” themed and can be found at www.karenhandel.com.

The text of the video is attached. The video was narrated by Karen’s Campaign Chairman, Fred Cooper and produced by Fred Davis.

Text of Handel Convention Film “Stronger”

VO ANNOUNCER FRED COOPER:

It weighs tons. Is loud. Moves not with grace, but with a lumbering gait. It is the ox.

Who could be stronger than an ox?

Maybe someone who never got to enjoy a picture-perfect childhood. Who had to leave home at 17, get a job, finish high school alone. Yet advanced all the way to the White House, as Deputy Chief of Staff to Marilyn Quayle.

This someone then won a seemingly ideal job: CEO of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. But, discovered that the Chamber checking account held less than ten dollars, the rest had been embezzled. Most said, “It can’t be saved,” but she said, “Bring it on.” Yes, “SHE.” Today that Chamber flourishes and has helped attract much-needed jobs to Georgia.

Elected Chairman of the Fulton County Commission she was presented with a huge tax increase. She threw that budget out and wrote a new one. With rational cuts she balanced it – and saved Georgians a hundred million dollars. Bring it on, Georgia. When conventional wisdom said the corrupt Sheriff of Fulton County couldn’t be touched, Karen Handel said, “Bring it on,” and the Sheriff was removed from office.

As secretary of state Handel accomplished what few other states have: voter ID, proof of citizenship and fair elections. All while reducing her budget 15%.

Does Georgia have challenges that no politician has been able to solve?

You bet. Transportation. Water. Taxes. Education. Bloated budgets.

Who has fresh eyes and the proven ability to solve impossible problems?

Who has a heart for people, but is stronger than an ox?

Who has won tough election after tough election?

The same furry creature who tried and failed before?

Or, those who mean so well, but have proven so little?

It is not a good ole boy who will make Georgia work.

It is a proven, battle-tested, accomplished reformer.

Who just happens to be, a she.

Got problems, Georgia? Bring ‘em on.

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