The full slate of Republican candidates visited Atlanta's vote-rich suburbs this weekend as part of a grassroots tour. And one of their top targets was the out-of-state money financing the campaigns of Democratic Senate candidate Michelle Nunn and gubernatorial contender Jason Carter.
Both Gov. Nathan Deal and GOP Senate nominee David Perdue referenced the sums of cash raised by rivals with name-brand political legacies. Nunn, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, has raised more than $9 million. Carter, the grandson of the former president, took in more campaign cash than Deal in the last fundraising cycle.
"This is an election year in which David and I are going to see a lot of out-of-state money coming in against us," Deal told a crowd of about 100 at an Alpharetta rally. "It is from parts of the county that are traditionally Democratic. They are calling on all these old ties."
Perdue told supporters that the "Democratic machine" is cranking for the Nunn and Carter campaigns and urged them to rally behind him and the governor. Said Perdue:
"In the past we've been fighting each other so much that we've forgotten who the real enemy is. We can't do that right now. They're going to pile so much money in here it's not funny. I need you to stand with me. That means not get behind the governor, not get behind me. Get beside us. That's what these other men and women are doing. Get beside us. Just like we did in the Revolutionary War. And when we do that, you look straight ahead. "
My AJC colleague Nicholas Fouriezos put together a series of maps outlining just where that money is coming from. Below are the total figures for each campaigns, but you can find more detailed breakouts of the Senate race here and the governor's contest here:
Michelle Nunn
David Perdue
Jason Carter
Nathan Deal
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