Deal made six airport stops around Georgia in a repeat of the around the state flight he made on the eve of the July 20th primary. They cheered even louder when the former Congressman from Gainesville predicted a win in Tuesday's runoff race against opponent Karen Handel.
Deal said his most effective tool for getting out the vote in the predicted low turnout runoff race was grass roots support, the same support that Deal credits with helping him get into the runoff after a heavily contested primary race last month.
"I think the way we do it is exactly what we see here," Deal said. "It's happening all over the state, grass roots people who are excited, people who are willing to get out and contact family, friends and neighbors and make sure they get to the polls, that's what we're trying to do."
Deal said he now has the momentum to win the Republican runoff and cited defections from the Handel camp over to his side in the closing days of the campaign.
"It's momentum that's carrying in our direction because people are tired of the kind of negativity they've seen from the opponent in this race, Deal said. They want a person who can talk about what they want to see for the future of Georgia and not dwell on the past. They don't believe in character assassinations as a way to advance the cause of Georgia and neither do I."
Deal said two major county chairmen of the Handel campaign who have openly endorsed him and the reason he said was Handel's negative campaigning.
"I think they finally understood that you cannot destroy the party the party of which you are a member and then expect to be successful in November," Deal said.
Deal also cited a national poll that shows him the likely winner in November over Democrat and former governor Roy Barnes.
"They have consistently shown that we are the leading contender on the Republican side and the one who has the best chance of winning in November," Deal said. "The last poll from Rasmussen shows that we are ahead against Roy Barnes 49 to 43; that's a winner folks, that's what's going to happen in November."
Deal said he now has the momentum to win the Republican runoff and cited defections from the Handel camp over to his side in the closing days of the campaign
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/8/231362