By Cade Fowler - bio | email
Gainesville Georgia - (WALB) Former Congressmen Nathan Deal been through quite a few election nights in political career, but none as close as tonight's Republican primary. He hopes to be one of the challengers in what will likely be a run off.
Deal certainly wins the vote for most unique election night headquarters, a hangar at the Gainesville Airport. Whether on not there is a celebration depends on voter turnout, especially here in Deal's home base, District 9 which he served in Congress for the past 18 years.
Counties like Hall and Forsyth, some of the fastest growing in the state, and Republican strongholds. In this primary, every vote counts and recent surveys show Deal neck and neck with challenger John Oxendine, and too far behind Karen Handel.
While this one should come down to the wire, Deal says he already has sights set on a run-off and November.
"We're appreciative of the fact that people have paid attention to our campaign. They realize I'm a conservative RFepublican that represents the values of the party. More than anything else, I think I'm a Republican that can win in November against Barnes if he's the nominee on the Democratic side."
And a recent Rasmussen survey looking ahead to November actually reported Deal with a lead over Barnes, the only Republican in this primary with a lead if those were in fact the opponents in the general election.
But before November it all comes down to tonight. Poll numbers here in Hall County about 20 percent.
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