I like John Oxendine very much. He has been a good, trustworthy, responsive insurance commissioner for many years. When one of my clients had a problem, we could always get a quick response.
Nathan Deal has been a first class representative from the Gainesville area. My boss is from that area and likes him - that's a good recommendation right there because he's very involved in his community.
Karen Handel has been relentless in her ads . . . we get something in the mail or on the phone almost every day. There was some scuttlebutt going about that she was weak on abortion, but she's been strenuously denying that. It may have been something from another campaign. She's a relative newcomer compared to Oxendine and Deal. I like her positions but don't know her personally as I have never dealt with her.
Eric Johnson seems to be quite conservative, but again I don't know him.
I'm open to input!!!!!
Well stated. I’m not sure either..still deciding. I hope who ever we decide can beat Barnes. Can’t believe he is running again
I’ve met Karen Handel before. Very nice woman and seems hard working. She worked for Dan Quayle in the Bush I White House if I’m not mistaken.
Nice to see you again! I think last time we chatted you were scolding me for driving across flooded creeks during the big storms.
Both Oxendine and Handel give me the impression they’ve been working towards a run for Governor for years and years. I guess that’s not a crime but it looks like we have a lot of career politicians to choose from. Oxendine and Handel have been full time Georgia employees for a while now.
The few times I had to contact Handel’s office on official business, I was greatly underwhelmed. Not professional, and no follow up.
Oxendine has been primping himself for thgis run for the last 2 or 3 years. Though not the GOP’s man, I got to hand it to a top state official that can get away with shooting the hired help (true).
I am wanting to hear more from Deal and Johnson, but am leaning toward Deal.
Barnes will be tough to beat, He is the closest thing to a machine politician in this race, and the Atlanta press loves him.
I refuse to vote for Oxendine. He’s just got that uppidity “I’m better than you” air about him. And, he was involved with a hunting accident, he stated he was an avid hunter, yet he had not purchased a hunting license.
I’m an avid fisherman. Most of the waters I fish are private, which do not require me to buy a license, yet my much less financially well off than Oxendine self buys one anyway because it benefits fisheries.
Oxendine carried himself with a “I’m above the law how dare you” attitude throughout the hunting accident thing. I, and most of the Outdoorsman on GON outdoors messageboard refuse to vote for him.
I’m leaning toward Nathan Deal.
Oxendine is a crook. Always has been, always will be. My vote is for Handel.
That leaves Johnson, McBerry and Chapman. Of the three remaining Johnson seems to be the Georgia GOP insider. As State Senate Leader he must be pretty good at maneuvering the political waters. But I don't know how to weigh experience against a natural distrust of someone who has been in politics for 18 years.
McBerry is running a strong ‘states rights’ campaign. Let's face it, we need a governor who will stand up to Washington the next term and McBerry has taken up that banner. I like his ideas about getting rid of income and property taxes and going to a sales tax. But great ideas don't necessarily get passed by the legislature and I don't know if he has the clout to get things passed. I've seen many yards signs and heard some of his radio spots lately.
All I can tell you about Chapman is that he has a cool website. I like the fact that he is a small business owner, but McBerry and Johnson are as well. I'm not sure that positioning himself being against the good old boys would get help him get his agenda passed either.
Once again I appreciate the input and hope to get some more before I go vote.