There's a reason that the governor's race seems like an increasingly bitter affair.
As November nears, it seems like Gov. Nathan Deal's frustration with Democrat Jason Carter grows. The governor, a 72-year-old with four decades of public experience, is locked in a tight contest with the Atlanta state senator, and both campaigns are quietly bracing for a possible December runoff.
The governor explained why it seems like Carter, a two-term senator, gets under his skin more than, say, Roy Barnes did in the gubernatorial election four years ago.
Said Deal:
"He spent four years with his finger in the political winds trying to decide what's best for his political future. Unlike me and unlike Roy Barnes. We have something to show for our time in the General Assembly. When I was at his point in my career, in my second term, Zell Miller selected me to be the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Jason Carter hasn't even been selected the assistant secretary of the Democratic caucus."
The vitriol is a two-way street. Carter slams Deal's policies at every occasion, and casts him as a vision-less politician who has dropped the ball on education funding and economic policy. Just yesterday, he called the governor's pledge for a top-to-bottom review of the education system "an embarrassment for our state."
Carter spokesman Bryan Thomas said Deal is "clearly angry" in the final days of the race.
"But that anger does nothing to help Georgia's families. The governor can name-call all he wants, but Jason's going to continue talking with voters about his plans to invest in education and help Georgia's middle-class families. We'll let the voters decide who has the right priorities and energy to move Georgia forward."
Don't forget: They still have to share the stage together one more time. The last debate is set for Sunday evening.
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