Deal, Handel trade charges on abortion

DALTON — Facing each other in an official public debate for the first time since Tuesday’s Republican primary, gubernatorial candidates Nathan Deal and Karen Handel spent considerable time Saturday pointing fingers at each other over their stances on abortion.

Former Secretary of State Handel has fought back criticism from some conservatives for about two months since she became the only one of the six Republican candidates not to gain the endorsement of the anti-abortion organization, Georgia Right to Life. Handel has said she opposes abortion in every instance except rape, incest and saving the life of the mother and describes herself as a “pro-life Christian.”

Speaking before a standing-room only crowd at the Republican runoff debate sponsored by the 9th District GOP at the Holiday Inn in Dalton, a moderator asked Handel to explain her recent call for leaders of the Georgia Right to Life to resign.

“There have been three separate instances where their comments from their leadership have clearly, clearly crossed the line,” said Handel, who will face Deal in an Aug. 10 runoff to seek a chance against Democrat Roy Barnes in the November general election.

Handel said she objected to comments suggesting women seeking fertility treatment are “desperate” as well as suggesting she approves of abortion in the case of the “child having an issue.” Handel criticized her opponents for not standing with her against what she said were “classless, hurtful” remarks by the organization.

Handel called former 9th District Congressman Deal to task for criticizing her when his own record shows that he authorized nearly $500 million in grants and contracts for family planning services. Deal responded that the event occurred 18 years ago and that he also voted for amendments that state funding to Planned Parenthood cannot be used for abortion.

Asked about the appropriateness of the situation between GRTL and Handel, Deal said he did not believe it was the role of any government official to call for the resignation of the head of a private organization. He added he did not believe GRTL opposes all fertility treatments, only those that “create life for the purpose of taking life,” a reference to some practices involved with in vitro fertilization (IVF).

“I think to blame me because you didn’t get the endorsement of the organization, I think is certainly inappropriate,” Deal told Handel. Deal said he opposes abortion except to save the life of a mother.

Several audience members broke out into applause and cheers after Deal’s remarks.

Deal, who left Congress earlier this year to run for governor just before a congressional panel was set to begin an ethics investigation involving his business, criticized Handel in his closing remarks for not finishing her term in office as Secretary of State.

Both candidates were asked how they would deal with the state’s budget crunch as it relates to education. Education accounts for more than half of the state budget each year.

Handel said she will work to reform the education funding formula, which several teacher union groups have said for years is outdated. She said she also supports allowing local school districts to use education special purpose special option sales tax funding for instruction rather than limited it only to capital projects. An “aggressive, aggressive approach to expand charter schools” will also help improve education, she said.

Deal said he will do “everything possible” to ensure there are no teacher furloughs or firings, although he did not elaborate on how he would bring that about. The son of two public school teachers, Deal also added that charter schools are “the wave of the future.”

Ninth District

Both Republican candidates in contention for the Ninth District in Congress said they want less government intrusions into Americans’ lives. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, described himself as a “pro-life, pro-gun, tax-cutting constitutional conservative.” Graves got the nod in the special election to fill Deal’s seat when Deal stepped down to run for governor earlier this year. Lee Hawkins, a dentist and former state senator from Gainesville, said he has been a small businessman for 33 years and knows first-hand how to create and keep jobs.

Asked to define the role of government, if any, in creating jobs, both candidates said government should “get out of the way” and allow the free economy to work.

Hawkins said he believes the “greatest pain this country feels right now is the lack of jobs.” Government should work to implement policies that help people get back on their feet, he said, then work to balance the budget.

Graves said he believes tax cuts and reduced spending go hand-in-hand and that neither is ultimately effective without the other.

Other races

Attorney general candidates Sam Olens and Preston Smith also squared off in debate with both candidates saying they want to speed execution sentences for death penalty convictions and work to pass an immigration enforcement law similar to that of Arizona. Olens took some heat from Smith for not having a National Rifle Association endorsement. Olens said the lack of endorsement is because Smith has a voting record in Georgia Legislature while he has no state voting record. Olens said he is a lifetime NRA member and strong Second Amendment supporter.

Also appearing for debates of their own were insurance commissioner candidates Ralph Hudgens and Maria Sheffield, and Public Service Commission candidates Tim Echols and John Douglas.

The moderators were Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Kyle Wingfield, a Dalton native whose column also appears in The Daily Citizen; Georgia News Network reporter John Clark and radio talk show host Martha Zoller.

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