Deal resigns from Congress to focus on gubernatorial race

Charles Oliver Dalton Daily Citizen

DALTON — U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Gainesville, announced his resignation on Monday to devote “his full energies” to his campaign for governor. The resignation is effective at the end of the business day on Monday, March 8.

“I firmly believe that now is the season for me to devote my full energies to the campaign for governor,” Deal said in a statement. “I believe the people of my district, like all Georgians, know that this is a time that demands leadership. These are critical days for Georgia and my experience at the local, state and national level have uniquely prepared me to lead Georgia as we lead the nation out of the recession.”

Deal is the third Republican to give up his seat to focus on the governor’s race. Karen Handel resigned as secretary of state, and Eric Johnson stepped down from the state Senate.

“Plenty of other people have done this before. It’s not that unusual,” said Ken Ellinger, a political science professor at Dalton State College. “We’ve even had presidential candidates do that. Bob Dole stepped aside when he was a senator and running for president.”

At least four other Republicans are running to replace Gov. Sonny Perdue, who by law cannot seek a third term. Five Democrats are also in the race.

Chris Schrimpf, press secretary for Perdue, said that by state law the governor must call for a special election to fill Deal’s unexpired term, which ends Dec. 31, 2010, within 10 days of his resignation taking effect.

“The writ has to set the election 30 or more days after the writ is issued,” he said.

He said the date of that election hasn’t been decided.

The Georgia secretary of state’s office reports the special election will be nonpartisan, but a candidate’s political affiliation can be listed beside his or her name.

Georgia’s general election will be held Nov. 2, which will include the regular election for the House seat (representatives are elected every two years). The Republican and Democratic primaries will be July 20.

Deal was facing a pair of congressional probes after an August report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution raised questions about a lucrative no-bid contract Deal’s auto salvage business had with the state. The report found Deal personally intervened with state officials to fight proposed changes to the arrangement that could have created competition for the state’s business. The contracts earned Deal’s company $1.5 million from 2004 to 2008.

The Associated Press reported that because Deal will no longer be in the House, the congressional committees will no longer have jurisdiction over him.

Jane Kidd, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, said in a statement that “Deal’s resignation will impede the fact-finding into his business.”

“As Georgia citizens, we call on Nathan Deal to release all documents regarding the no-bid contracts for his business. He must lay to rest the allegations that he lobbied Lt. Gov. Cagle to pressure government officials into keeping his ‘sweetheart deal’ alive,” she said. “Otherwise, it appears that Deal’s fortunate timing is a cynical ploy to obstruct this investigation.”

That sentiment was echoed by one of Deal’s Republican opponents for governor.

“It is regrettable that Nathan Deal has left Georgia without a voice in Washington during the vital health care debate,” said Tim Echols, spokesman for state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine. “We are hopeful that this isn’t an attempt to circumvent an investigation into the state-funded program that benefited his auto salvage business.”

But Ellinger said it isn’t clear that the ethics investigation, which was likely to take months, had much of an impact on Deal’s decision.

“He’s doing what plenty of other members of Congress have done before when they run for governor or senator or some other office that involves a really time-consuming political campaign,” he said. “But I guess only Nathan Deal knows whether he is really worried about this ethics complaint.”

At least nine Republicans and one Democrat have announced plans to run for Deal’s congressional seat, and several reacted Monday to his decision.

“I believe that it is wrong for politicians to leave their elected office in order to run for another office. I pledge that I will never do this,” said Bert Loftman, a retired neurosurgeon from Marble Hill who is seeking the Republican nomination.

Ringgold businessman Jeremy Jones, who is also seeking the Republican nomination, said on his Facebook page that he will run in the special election.

“I am also going to make a promise to everyone. If I win the special election I will not run for the seat in November,” he wrote. “The business in Washington is simply too important for someone to worry about running a campaign right now.”

State Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, said Deal’s resignation will not affect his campaign.

“If anything, we are only more resolved to send a proven conservative to fill the large voids left in Washington,” he said in a statement. “Obviously, we don’t know the date of the special election yet, and we await the governor’s decision.”

State Sen. Lee Hawkins, R-Gainesville, thanked Deal for his 18 years of service in the House of Representatives.

“Nathan Deal has led on many issues, including raising the issue of preventing illegal immigration and finding market-oriented solutions to health care,” said Hawkins in a statement. “As our next congressman, I will move forward on these issues, as well as co-sponsor the Fair Tax to create jobs. I will lead the way to represent our shared traditional values in Congress.”



The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Remarks delivered by Deal on Monday concerning his decision to resign from Congress.



One of the highest honors of my life has been the privilege to serve the great people of North Georgia in the Congress of the United States.

My wife and my family join me in thanking you for your support and confidence which have allowed me to lead the fight to preserve the values that have made our nation great.

Having entered the campaign to become the next governor of Georgia, I have worked very hard to balance the responsibilities of my current office with the demands of sharing my vision for our state.

The Bible teaches us that “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

I firmly believe that now is the season for me to devote my full energies to the campaign for governor.

I believe the people of my district, like all Georgians, know that this is a time that demands leadership. These are critical days for Georgia and my experience at the local, state and national level have uniquely prepared me to lead Georgia as we lead the nation out of the recession.

As governor, my first priority will be getting Georgians back to work while making sure that essential state services are maintained. Our state needs leadership on education, water, transportation, health care and public safety, which must be balanced against the financial crisis facing our state government.

Make no mistake, our Georgia values are at risk. I have stood up against those who do not share our conservative values and, I assure you, they have the governorship of the state of Georgia squarely in their sights. 

I'm leaving Congress because I’ve had a front row seat to the damage that inexperience in the executive branch of the federal government has done to our nation ... a growing debt that will bankrupt our children’s future, an ever increasing grasp by government that snatches away our freedom, and an effort to bargain away the rights of our state for a few crumbs of federal tax dollars that are packaged as stimulus.

My experience has prepared me to be a governor who understands these dangers. This is not a time for untested leadership in the governor’s office. The economic future of our state is in peril. I am committed and ready to serve this great state.

I love this state and I love its people. My Georgia roots are deep. As I have traveled from the mountains, where I live, to the piedmont, where I grew up and went to school, to the coastal plain, where I was born, my resolve to be governor has grown even stronger.

I will be a governor who will listen to you and consider your needs. Like the deep veins of granite and marble that undergird our state, I am rock solid in my dedication to the task at hand. I will lead with strength, tempered by a servant’s heart. 

I invite you to join me, my family and an ever-expanding circle of friends on this quest to be the next governor of Georgia. Together, we can reaffirm the values that have made us great, enrich the lives of our families and leave our children a state that is a prosperous beacon of hope for the future.

I ask for your vote. I invite you to share my vision and encourage you to join my campaign for governor.

 

 



 

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