The four leading Republican candidates for governor stood in unison behind Georgia's controversial "religious liberty" measure and were lockstep against an effort to legalize casino gambling at the party's first GOP gubernatorial forum.

It was the first formal showdown featuring the highest-profile Republican contenders for governor, and the meeting offered a preview of the race ahead to replace a term-limited Nathan Deal in 2018.

Keep reading: GOP gov hopefuls unite behind religious liberty, against casino gambling in first forum