Few 4th of July customs are more certain than parades, fireworks and politicians shaking hands.
All of these traditions met in Marietta on Friday. Candidates wooed voters from parade floats and barbecue stages, before fireworks lit up the Cobb County sky.
For many Republican candidates, especially those facing the July 22 runoff, the Cobb County Republican Barbecue in Jim Miller Park was the place to be.
U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, who is running for Georgia’s open U.S. Senate seat, used his stump speech to rile up the previously-quiet crowd.
“I’ve been an activist precinct Republican all of my adult life,” Kingston said. “My mother brought me to Republican precinct meetings because she couldn’t find a babysitter.”
Kingston has criticized his runoff opponent, former businessman David Perdue, for not regularly voting in Republican primaries before 2012.
Perdue attended the barbecue as well, but left before the speaking segments because of a prior engagement. His supporters came out in full force during the earlier parade though, shouting chants and waving signs.
Gov. Nathan Deal pitched the state’s job prospects, after CNBC ranked Georgia in June as the top state to do business in.
Having made it safely through his party’s primary election on May 20, Deal took a shot at Democrats running for state office. He referenced campaign contribution numbers which show that many Democrat candidates are receiving national funding.
“They are probably going to have the vast majority of their money coming from outside of the state of Georgia,” Deal said. “We don’t need to be told how to govern ourselves and our country, from people who don’t live here.”
Jason Carter, Deal’s Democratic challenger, did not campaign Friday.
Michelle Nunn, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, was at Independence Day parades in Appling and Elijah.
State agriculture commissioner Gary Black showed off his crooning ability at the barbecue by singing the national anthem, “God Bless America,” and other patriotic tunes. Other candidates present included Attorney General Sam Olens, Rep. Tom Price of Roswell, Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, Superintendent candidate Richard Woods and 11th congressional district opponents Bob Barr and Barry Loudermilk.
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