Being the governor comes with perks beyond the cushy Buckhead mansion. And Gov. Nathan Deal has put the power of incumbency to use in the final stretch before the election.
The governor this morning went before a bank of television cameras this morning to announce that Unisys, a global IT company, will open a service center in Augusta that will bring 700 new jobs. He also said that Site Selection Magazine, a niche publication, ranked Georgia as the number one place in the nation to do business again.
"We don't have any control over that," Deal said of the timing of the dual announcements, adding that he left it up to the magazine and the company to determine when they wanted to deliver the news.
Democrat Jason Carter's supporters will surely question the release of the news, coming just a day before the vote, as the latest example of the governor putting the tools of his office to use. It's an advantage just about every incumbent - no matter the party - has pressed when seeking another term.
But some Democrats have quietly seethed at the way Deal has wielded his power. As the campaign escalated, Deal embarked on a politically-tinged overseas trade mission , traveled the state to ink newsworthy pieces of legislation and signed executive orders aimed at heading off controversies. In the last week before Election Day, Deal's aides have stepped it up.
Take last Monday, the day both campaigns kicked off a frenzied week of campaigning after the final debate. Former President Jimmy Carter sought to make a splash for his grandson with a Columbus speech, but the governor's staff seemed determined to win the news cycle.
The governor announced two new deals that morning that would bring about 1,000 new jobs to the state. And hours later he outlined a new Ebola response plan to quarantine "high risk" travelers from west Africa even if they show no symptoms. Both developments attracted significant news coverage.
Carter's campaign has accused the governor of playing politics. Deal's aides have dismissed those claims.
And both camps know that Deal is about to have a late addition to his stump speech, just in time for his fly-around across the state to make a closing pitch to voters.
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