More GOP cavalry arrived in Georgia today as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz stumped with David Perdue and Gov. Nathan Deal in Canton, invoking memories of long gas lines and stagflation as he attacked their Democratic rivals.
"Here in Georgia, we've got on the ballot Jimmy Carter and Sam Nunn," he said. "It's like 'That 70's Show.'"
The Texas firebrand echoed Perdue's talking points by saying that an election of Michelle Nunn, the Democratic nominee, equals a stamp of approval for President Barack Obama's agenda. Republicans need a net gain of six Senate seats to take control of the chamber, and Cruz urged Libertarians to cast their lot with Perdue to avoid a runoff.
"There's a game that red-state Democrats play. It's a game they play all over the country. They come back home to Arkansas, to Louisiana, to North Carolina and to Georgia. They come back home and say, 'Look, I'm not like all those crazy Democrats in Washington.' … Let me tell you right now, every single one of them is lying to you.'"
Cruz was one of the heroes of last year's government shutdown, which Nunn has used as a symbol of Washington gridlock.
The nonprofit executive has pledged to "end government shutdowns and self-inflicted crises" by supporting Sen. Mark Udall's amendment to require Congress to balance the budget and a "no budget, no pay" law that would block lawmakers from getting paychecks if they fail to pass a spending plan.
Perdue hardly mentioned Nunn in his remarks, but instead pressed the same argument he's made since his runoff win: A Democratic-controlled Senate would mean more stalemate in Washington and another two years of Harry Reid leading the chamber.
"There's only one person in this country responsible for gridlock - and that's Harry Reid," said Perdue, adding: "Michelle Nunn wants to be Barack Obama's senator. I want to be your senator."
He said he told the Democrat he has no apologies for his strategy.
"Of course I'm running against the president. You're nothing but a rubber stamp."
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Gov. Nathan Deal, who was also at the rally, got his biggest applause when he urged the crowd to recall his decision to remove and replace six members of DeKalb's dysfunctional school board. He calls it a gutsy move that saved the school system while Democrat Jason Carter "hid in the shadows."
"If he can't stand up for the children in the county where he lives, what makes you think he'll stand up for the kids in the rest of the state?"
Carter supported a compromise that sought to avoid a court battle but said he had "policy differences" with Deal's decision. Carter's campaign sent constituents a press release then pledging to "do everything I can to support this board and its work."
Deal, sharpening his attack, said it was a sign Carter isn't ready for primetime.
"He believes. If you watch the debate, it's the most common phrase he uses," said Deal. "But I have to translate my beliefs into policies and programs. Then I translate them into results. Rhetoric without results means nothing."
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Democrat Jason Carter, at a stop in his other ancestral home - the north Georgia town of Calhoun - was equally cutting in his remarks.
"My position on ethics in the governor's office: I think we need some."
He said Deal "doesn't get it" when it comes to economic arguments. He charged the governor with ignoring the middle class.
"The governor's plan only works for people who have a direct line to the governor's office," he said.
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We also got a taste of the sharply contrasting economic message from the two Republicans.
Deal kept his upbeat take on Georgia's economy, pledging that another 650 jobs would be announced on Monday, a tally totaling about 1,800 new gigs in two weeks.
"People come to states where good things are happening," he said. "And we are growing."
Perdue had a grimmer economic outlook. His attack was aimed at Washington, but it still presented a contrast.
"We have fewer people working today than anytime since Jimmy Carter," said Perdue. He later added: "They're perpetuating a lie that is being made that this economic boom is coming."
In an interview after the event, Perdue elaborated on the differing tones. Said Perdue:
"Georgia is the best state in the country to do business. If we can get Washington out of the way, imagine what a great place it could be. The governor and I are saying the same things - if we can get bad policies out of the way from Washington, we can get the overall economy working. Georgia is growing despite what's happening in Washington."
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