Secretary of State Karen Handel resigning

By James Salzer and Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Secretary of State Karen Handel, who has been in her job less than three years, said Tuesday she will resign to put all her efforts toward running for governor.

The governor will name her replacement.

“The people of Georgia need to know I am all in for the governor’s race,” Handel said. “This decision allows me to focus 100 percent on becoming the Republican nominee and winning in November.”

Handel said she  is resigning to steer clear of any potential accusations that she is using her office to benefit her campaign. The Secretary of State’s office oversees election and voting issues.

But at the same time, her resignation will allow her to raise money during the 2010 legislative session that begins Jan. 11. Under Georgia law, state lawmakers and elected officials cannot raise money during legislative sessions.

Former Senate Republican leader Eric Johnson of Savannah quit the General Assembly earlier this year to boost his gubernatorial campaign as well.   Some of the other GOP candidates, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, Rep. Austin Scott and Sen. Jeff Chapman, will be barred from raising money during the session.

Handel has widely been seen as Gov. Sonny Perdue's candidate in the race, but she's only been in state office since 2007.

She had been on Perdue's staff when she was elected chairman of the Fulton County Commission in 20o2. From the Fulton County commission, Handel won statewide election in 2006 in the race for secretary of state.

Now she is one of seven running for the GOP nomination next year and the only woman.

Handel is outspoken, acerbic and quick to criticize -- even members of her own party. For example, Handel, as chair of the State Election Board, has had an ongoing feud with Randy Evans, an attorney for the party and a member of the election board.

Also, Handel was the only GOP gubernatorial candidate to call for former House Speaker Glenn Richardson to step down in light of the controversy over his romantic relationship with a lobbyist who had an issue before the Legislature.

She has made ethics reform one of the primary issues in her campaign.

"We ... have a responsibility to hold ourselves -- and each other -- accountable, " Handel said during the Richardson controversy earlier in the month.