ATLANTA — The two Republican candidates running for Georgia governor stepped up their attacks on each other during a debate Saturday over government funding for abortion and experience in what's becoming a bruising contest for their party's nomination.
Former Secretary of State Karen Handel faulted former Congressman Nathan Deal for a 1993 vote to give $500 million to Planned Parenthood, which provides abortion, contraception and other medical services. Federal law prevents government money from directly paying for abortions with limited exceptions.
"I would like to point out that, you know, while he carries the Georgia Right To Life endorsement, he, too, voted to give funding to Planned Parenthood to the tune of $500 million," Handel said before an audience in an extremely conservative district. "Yes, that's a half a billion dollars."
Deal dismissed the criticism, saying he's been a consistent legislative opponent of abortion since then. He has attacked a vote Handel took while chairwoman of the Fulton County Commission to funnel grant money to Planned Parenthood. The organization said the money was not used for abortions.
"She mentioned a vote that I made about 18 years ago, it was one that at a point in time where things have changed and issues have changed over the years," he said.
The two candidates competing in the Aug. 10 runoff also squared off over experience in government — and whether experience itself was good or bad.
Handel argues that she's a political outsider, often adopting language very similar to that used by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, whose endorsement helped propel her candidacy forward.
"We need to have real reforms in Georgia," she said. "We cannot afford to stay with the status quo any longer. And the idea that someone who is a career politician is going to come in and do the kinds of reforms, that's just not realistic."
That barb was directed at Deal, who was elected to Congress in 1992 and whose district included Dalton, where the debate was held. He was earlier a state lawmaker, prosecutor and juvenile court judge.
"I keep hearing labels that seem to be hurled my way," Deal responded moments later. "Let me tell you this — I stay with a job and finish the job when I'm elected to do it."
Deal then accused Handel of failing to serve a complete term in office, a characterization that Handel disputed. She won a special election to fill a vacant seat on the Fulton County commission and finished what remained of that term before becoming secretary of state. She announced she would resign as secretary of state late last year to run for governor.
Deal himself resigned from Congress before the end of his term to pursue the governor's seat. His resignation also halted a Congressional investigation into allegations that Deal violated House ethics rules by lobbying Georgia officials not to change a state program that benefited his own business.
Deal has denied doing anything wrong and has blamed the media and Congressional investigators of "distorting the truth."
The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democrat Roy Barnes, a former governor.
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