Gov. Nathan Deal's biggest ally has returned to the airwaves to boost his re-election bid in the final weeks of the general election campaign.
The Republican Governors Association began airing the above 30-second spot today across most of the state. The group has already invested $1.6 million this year to defend Deal against Democratic challenger Jason Carter, and we can expect it to spend several hundred thousand dollars more to saturate the airwaves with this ad.
It's a double-barreled attack on Carter's two biggest campaign promises: His vow to significantly boost education funding, which up until last week was the foremost issue of his campaign, and his pledge to chart a new economic course for the state.
The governor has offered a more modest second-term agenda, contending there's a "seriousness gap" between what the Democratic state senator promises and what can actually be achieved. Yet polls show the race is tightening, and last week's report that Georgia has the nation's highest unemployment rate only gave the governor's critics more fodder.
The ad relies partly on Carter's outline of his economic message last week, which included a warning that his policies will take time to take root. It also repeats a constant refrain from Deal's camp: Carter voted against a state budget proposal this year that included a more than $300 million increase in school funding.
Carter, for his part, said he cast the "no" vote for the budget after a tour of schools last year helped convince him that he school funding should be further increased.
The RGA's new cash infusion comes as no surprise to those watching the race. The group has already attacked Carter's stance on Medicaid expansion and his career as a trial lawyer. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a former RGA leader, ensured another round was on its way earlier this month when he pledged that help was on the way.
Whether the RGA will keep the airwaves saturated through November is another question. The group is locked in other competitive Republican gubernatorial contests across the nation, and there's a distinct possibility that this contest could veer toward a December runoff.
In a statement, RGA spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said the ad intends to show that Carter's "liberal approach is simply the wrong approach for Georgia."
Here's the script for the ad, called "Anytime Soon:"
Carter.
He won't be a jobs governor.
Instead, Jason Carter promises to invest more in education, but Carter actually opposed more funding for education in the Senate.
Carter.
He won't be an education governor either.
Jason Carter will be a spending governor.
Expanding Obamacare.
Billions in spending.
Georgia families can't afford Jason Carter.
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