Nunn, Perdue trade barbs in first U.S. Senate forum

Michelle Nunn and David Perdue shared the stage Thursday for the first time in their general election battle for the U.S. Senate, and both were itching for a fight.

But while Nunn, the Democratic hopeful, targeted Perdue, the Republican candidate focused his fire on President Barack Obama.

The forum, at the Marriott City Center here, was sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the questions from the audience reflected Chamber members’ interests.

Moderated by former Channel 2 Action News anchor John Pruitt, questions covered health care, immigration, transportation and the military.

On nearly every topic, Nunn turned her answer toward Perdue, slamming him for “embracing” gridlock and conflict in Washington rather than working for solutions. Perdue, meanwhile, never uttered Nunn’s name and instead focused sharply on Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

“I’ve been very clear about my priorities this entire campaign,” Perdue said, adding that Obamacare must be repealed. “We have to get serious about this outrageous spending.”

Nunn, however, even in her opening statement, questioned Perdue’s strategy.

She said Georgia should elect her to “send someone to Washington to focus on partnership and getting things done. That’s not what I’ve heard from David.”

Perdue, she said, has promised to “prosecute” the president and his administration and said he’d support shutting down the government, that he opposes Common Core and a bipartisan farm bill, and that he’s refused to work toward an immigration overhaul.

“That sounds a lot like Washington as usual for me,” Nunn said.

Afterward, Perdue told reporters that Nunn’s comments were “right out of their playbook,” and he called them part of a “strategy of deception.”

During the forum, Perdue made the case that Georgians needs a conservative voice in the Senate, someone willing to fight the president’s proposals, which he said are costing the country jobs.

“This economy is flat right now because of bad government policies,” Perdue said. “We have fewer people working as a percentage of our workforce than we’ve had since Jimmy Carter was president.”

On health care, Pruitt said Perdue has promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But, Pruitt asked, is that realistic?

Indeed, Perdue said, noting that he and his wife had their policies canceled and replaced with one that offered services they didn’t need at a greater cost.

“No government has proven they can manage this big a part of our economy,” Perdue said. “Look at how good a job they’ve done of the Veteran’s Administration; it might give you some sense of what it’s going to look like.

“(Obamacare) needs to be repealed and replaced.”

Pruitt asked Nunn to explain her position on the health care law, which basically is that some of it works and some doesn’t. What changes would she make? Pruitt asked.

Nunn said more affordable options should be available and that the business tax credits should be expanded. As important, she said, is not to go backward.

“David says he wants to repeal it,” Nunn said. “Do we really want to have this same argument about the ACA in six years? We don’t want to go back to a time where people with pre-existing conditions can’t get health insurance.”

On transportation, neither provided clear answers on how to replenish the depleted Federal Highway Trust Fund, which provides more than half of the state’s transportation money. More than 70 state projects are in danger if Congress doesn’t find a long-term solution to filling the fund’s coffers.

Nunn and Perdue both rejected an increase in the federal gas tax to pay for it. Perdue said the country spends $480 billion on redundant federal agencies, and significant savings could be found by eliminating them. He did not identify which agencies should go, though.

Nunn vowed a long-term fix and said solutions could be found through bipartisanship. Later, she seemed to agree with Perdue that significant amounts of money could be found by tightening the federal budget, although she, too, did not offer specifics.

Perdue's business record was a campaign issue in the Republican primary, and it appears it will be in the general election as well. In his opening comments, the former CEO of Dollar General and Pillowtex said his private corporate experience has granted him the ability to make decisions and find solutions to improve a company's performance.

Nunn, however, said while Perdue has done “undeniably well as an individual, the people around him have not done as well.” Nunn referred specifically to thousands of layoffs at Pillowtex, which filed for bankruptcy shortly after Perdue left.

Perdue has said the North Carolina-based textile firm had just emerged from bankruptcy when he took over in July 2002. He uncovered much deeper problems than previously believed, and the firm shut down four months after Perdue left in March 2003.

Now, Perdue faces new questions about a gender discrimination suit against Dollar General, stemming from the time he was that company's CEO. According to ABC News and Mother Jones, federal investigators claim female store managers were treated and paid differently than male counterparts.

The problem already cost Dollar General $15 million to settle a separate class-action lawsuit.

Nunn, meanwhile, received needed good news Thursday, when the abortion rights group Emily’s List announced it was launching a $1 million advertising campaign to boost Nunn. Republicans have held a 5-to-1 advantage on spending by outside groups in Georgia.