Not far from where Lockheed Martin builds the warplanes of the future, Georgia’s eight Republican U.S. Senate hopefuls differed sharply on national defense and foreign intervention.
Foreign policy was the biggest area of disagreement in Saturday night’s debate at Kennesaw State University, where differences among the Senate hopefuls were often more stylistic than substantive.
U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey of Marietta and Jack Kingston of Savannah projected a traditional Republican pose of strong national defense.
Kingston played up his background representing military bases and helping oversee military spending on the Appropriations Committee. Kingston said he wants to keep up military budgets so “every conflict we go into the outcome is certain and that, again, is: We win.”
But in a nod to recent controversies involving the National Security Agency, he added: “I want to spy on the bad guys and not you and not me.”
Gingrey, who was on his home turf, said the U.S. has a worldwide responsibility.
“We are the strongest nation on the face of the earth,” he said. “We have an obligation not just to protect people on our own shore, but every liberty-loving nation on the face of this globe.”
Rep. Paul Broun of Athens said the U.S. should not send troops into battle unless Congress formally declares war.
Karen Handel, the former Georgia secretary of state, said she supports U.S. involvement overseas only when there’s a strong exit strategy, and touted her opposition to President Barack Obama’s aborted plan to strike Syria.
The non-Congressmen drove an anti-Washington theme, as Congress’ unpopularity makes it an easy target.
In her closing statement, Handel called out Gingrey and Kingston by name for voting to increase the debt ceiling and for spending bills that included pork projects.
“Do any of them deserve a promotion? No,” she said.
Businessman David Perdue, the former CEO of Dollar General, also pitched himself as an outsider. The cousin of former Gov. Sonny Perdue lumped Handel in with the “career politicians” onstage, since she served as Fulton County commission chair before her stint as secretary of state and a failed 2010 bid for governor.
“If you like what’s going on in Washington, pick one of these guys,” Perdue said.
The members of Congress did their best to blast Democrats and others for Washington’s woes. Gingrey, who was first elected to the state Senate in 1998 and Congress in 2002, rejected the career politician label. “I’m a career doctor,” the OB-GYN said.
Gingrey also broke slightly with the pack on tax reform, saying he agreed with the rest of the candidates that a massive overhaul is needed. But he highlighted one reason why Congress has struggled so much with tax reform when he asked for a show of hands from those willing to give up deductions for home mortgage interest or charitable contributions. Only a handful in the crowd of 600 obliged.
Broun, meanwhile, pushed for a drastic tax cut.
“If 10 percent is good enough for the Lord, it’s good enough for Uncle Sam,” he said.
Saturday’s debate was the second of seven sponsored by the Georgia GOP around the state in advance of the May 20 primary, but the candidates have and will continue to spar in far more arenas.
Earlier in the day, five of the GOP candidates attended a tea party forum in Ellijay, revealing more differences of opinion.
Art Gardner, an Atlanta attorney, was the only candidate who would not accept the mantle of a “tea party candidate.” He also was the only one in the group — which included Broun, Handel, MARTA engineer Derrick Grayson and businessman Eugene Yu — who would allow legal status for some immigrants who are here illegally and would not vow never to raise the debt limit.
Grayson, who is black and making his first run for office, also snagged the outsider mantle.
“That’s where the problem is,” Grayson said in Ellijay, referring to re-electing the same politicians. “When we wake up and we understand and realize that, we can turn the tide.”
Yu, of Augusta, provoked laughter in Kennesaw by calling everything Obama says “B.S.” and quipping about his South Carolina accent. He was born in South Korea.
National eyes are on the primary, as many Republicans fear losing Saxby Chambliss’ seat to likely Democratic nominee Michelle Nunn if the GOP’s nominee is pulled too far to the right.
Gardner was the only candidate who gave voice to those concerns, blasting the government shutdown and saying the Republican Party needs to be more inclusive to gays.
“We can’t allow a vocal minority to drive away women, minorities, young people from our party,” Gardner said. “We need those voters.”
About the Author
