Deal and Democrats Agree: Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle are No Nathan Deal

July 12, 2018

As Deal Attempts to Protect His Legacy, Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle Have Yet to Earn His Trust

GEORGIA – Today, in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nathan Deal revealed his reason for not offering an endorsement in the increasingly disruptive Republican Gubernatorial Runoff.

According to Deal, the reason is because “I’ve tried to let both candidates run their own campaigns” adding, “I do have an interest in trying to make sure that whoever my successor is does not go in and undo and destroy many of the great advances that we’ve made. That is my primary concern.”

On this, the Democratic Party of Georgia agrees: Deal has very valid reasons to be concerned and very little incentive to throw his hat behind either of the two Republican candidates running for Governor. Since the day they both declared their intent to run for Governor, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp have been proposing policies that would precisely undo and destroy the advances that Georgia has made under the Deal Administration, particularly on Georgia’s business climate. See below:

Business Climate

A new CNBC report shows that Georgia has dropped from the #2 place to do business to the #7 place to do business in less than one year. Instead of following Deal’s lead of allowing Georgia businesses to foster and grow, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp have consistently chosen their own personal politics over Georgia business.

Delta Removes NRA Privileges:

Nathan Deal: Called the Delta controversy an “unbecoming squabble” but said he would sign the broader tax legislation because of its wider cuts to Georgia’s income tax rate.

Casey Cagle: Tweeted “I will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.”

Brian Kemp: Stated “Now, it’s time for the Georgia Senate to kill the tax break for Delta and replace it with a sales tax holiday that benefits the same 2nd Amendment supporters that Delta – and other corporate cowards – are publicly shaming.”

Georgia Film Industry

Nathan Deal: “The State of Georgia should be very cautious on telling the film industry what their social policies should be.”

Casey Cagle: “Conservatives: join me in forever boycotting Judd Apatow’s work. Hardly have to ask as his movies are terrible.”

Meanwhile, in Macon, Georgia Democratic Leaders held a press conference that further highlighted the positions and rhetoric of Nathan Deal and contrasted them to that of Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp.

Rep. Miriam Paris, Agricultural Commissioner Candidate Fred Swann, and Bibb County Democratic Chairman Harold Franklin had one simple message: Despite what you might hear and despite what Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are desperately trying to sell, the reality is that Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are simply too untrustworthy to be the heir to Nathan Deal.

“Georgia, for the longest has been the best place to do business. We have now dropped to 7th and that is a direct result of what the Republicans have done in placing politics over policy,” said Rep. Miriam Paris. “We need people that are going to be productive, positive and pushing forward to make sure that Georgia is the best place to do business, but not only that. Georgia will be the best place to live, work and raise your family [with Stacey Abrams as Governor.]”

“Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle are certainly not Nathan Deal. They see their own approval ratings going down, they both know the only way to win this race is to run as Deal’s third term. But Georgia voters see right through that. The reality is that there is the Kemp and Cagle party and the party of Nathan Deal,” said Agricultural Commissioner Candidate Fred Swann. “Through their actions, both of these men have shown that they are thoroughly embarrassing to Nathan Deal and the Deal administration. It is no wonder that Deal is staying as far away from them as possible.”

Bibb County Chairman Harold Franklin added “Are they (Cagle and Kemp) more concerned with exercising their power? Or with adopting policies that will create positive change for Georgia? How will Governor Deal protect his legacy? We hope he has made a choice to do what is best for Georgia.”

With the comments made by Deal and the Georgia Democratic Party today and the extremist positions of Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle, here is one thing both sides agree on: The policies and actions of Cagle and Kemp threaten to completely undermine the advances that Georgia has made over the past eight years.

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