Karen Handel: ‘She’s No Nikki Haley’

Posted on | August 6, 2010 | 22 Comments

So says my friend Orit Sklar, referring to Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel. Orit is supporting the rival campaign of Nathan Deal. The GOP primary is Tuesday and the latest poll shows the race a dead heat. Orit is quoted in an Associated Press article about the campaign:

Critics say Handel is trying to have it both ways, hammering Deal for alleged ethical lapses and then crying sexism over a release from his campaign that labeled his female supporters “real women.”
“There is some real hypocrisy,” said Orit Sklar, a 25-year-old Deal backer from Alpharetta, who had been a Fulton County organizer for another Republican candidate, Eric Johnson.
Sklar said that as a conservative woman she’s been feeling “some pressure to view the Republican runoff in terms of identity – in terms of gender – rather than issues.”
“But I frankly think what Karen Handel is doing is unbecoming for someone who wants to be our governor,” Sklar said.

My friend Erick Erickson of Red State is backing Handel, who also got the endorsement of Sarah Palin. However, Orit is a protégé of the legendary Phil Kent and any friend of Phil’s is a friend of mine. Therefore, the choice is clear:

NATHAN DEAL for GEORGIA GOVERNOR

Category: Georgia

Comments

22 Responses to “Karen Handel: ‘She’s No Nikki Haley’”

Miss Sharon
August 7th, 2010 @ 12:24 am

NOOOOOO!!
Miss Sharon
August 6th, 2010 @ 8:24 pm

NOOOOOO!!
Jeonju Conservative
August 7th, 2010 @ 12:35 am

Why would anyone support a guy who is being saddled with ethics charges? I mean, he’s under investigation now. That’s Roy Barnes cannon fodder right there.

Gotta go with Handel.
Jeonju Conservative
August 6th, 2010 @ 8:35 pm

Why would anyone support a guy who is being saddled with ethics charges? I mean, he’s under investigation now. That’s Roy Barnes cannon fodder right there.

Gotta go with Handel.
Papa
August 7th, 2010 @ 1:33 am

So your oracle of Georgia politics is a 20-something wet-behind-the-ears political operative, based on her “feelings”. IIRC, the junior senator from Illinois got elected president on a bunch of 20-somethings’ feelings. That hasn’t worked out real well. Deal is more of the same ol’ in Georgia politics – a connected good ol’ boy; run out of DC with the ethics dawgs hot on his trail.
Papa
August 6th, 2010 @ 9:33 pm

So your oracle of Georgia politics is a 20-something wet-behind-the-ears political operative, based on her “feelings”. IIRC, the junior senator from Illinois got elected president on a bunch of 20-somethings’ feelings. That hasn’t worked out real well. Deal is more of the same ol’ in Georgia politics – a connected good ol’ boy; run out of DC with the ethics dawgs hot on his trail.
Danny
August 7th, 2010 @ 2:26 am

Stacy McCain as I live and breath — last time I saw you we were practicing music in the ATL! Not sure what to think of the repubs this year — Eric Johnson was the best candidate, he just didn’t have enough metro name recog to get to the run-off.

Find me on Facebook and come to our LSHS Choral/Drama reunion in a couple weeks. Maryland is not that far!

Danny Price (LSHS ’83)
Danny
August 6th, 2010 @ 10:26 pm

Stacy McCain as I live and breath — last time I saw you we were practicing music in the ATL! Not sure what to think of the repubs this year — Eric Johnson was the best candidate, he just didn’t have enough metro name recog to get to the run-off.

Find me on Facebook and come to our LSHS Choral/Drama reunion in a couple weeks. Maryland is not that far!

Danny Price (LSHS ’83)
Estragon
August 7th, 2010 @ 5:22 am

I don’t live there, but my Georgia contacts have been telling me for years now that Deal was bound to blow up eventually. Not that his ethics are so much lower than other politicians, but that he fails to practice the virtuous habit of discretion.

However, if Orit would consider a bit of bikini hot tub campaigning, I could possibly be persuaded to change my mind.
Estragon
August 7th, 2010 @ 1:22 am

I don’t live there, but my Georgia contacts have been telling me for years now that Deal was bound to blow up eventually. Not that his ethics are so much lower than other politicians, but that he fails to practice the virtuous habit of discretion.

However, if Orit would consider a bit of bikini hot tub campaigning, I could possibly be persuaded to change my mind.
Robert Stacy McCain
August 7th, 2010 @ 3:12 pm

Stacy McCain as I live and breath — last time I saw you we were practicing music in the ATL!

Danny Price? Is that you? According to the last thing I heard, you had been instrumental in establishing a scholarship to honor Carolyn Hansard.
Robert Stacy McCain
August 7th, 2010 @ 11:12 am

Stacy McCain as I live and breath — last time I saw you we were practicing music in the ATL!

Danny Price? Is that you? According to the last thing I heard, you had been instrumental in establishing a scholarship to honor Carolyn Hansard.
Obi's Sister
August 7th, 2010 @ 3:40 pm

Nathan Deal smells like Sonny Perdue. In other words, “more of the same” and a great big EEEEWWW.

Despite Erick’s endorsement, I liked Eric Johnson better. It just wasn’t his time. But not Nathan Deal. No. Deal is another Corzine, but with a southern drawl.
Obi's Sister
August 7th, 2010 @ 11:40 am

Nathan Deal smells like Sonny Perdue. In other words, “more of the same” and a great big EEEEWWW.

Despite Erick’s endorsement, I liked Eric Johnson better. It just wasn’t his time. But not Nathan Deal. No. Deal is another Corzine, but with a southern drawl.
Kathy S. Hildebrand
August 7th, 2010 @ 10:23 pm

Nathan Deal smells like Sonny Perdue?! Who do you think worked as chief of staff for Sonny Perdue? Karen Handel. So Orit Sklar is a wet-behind-the-ears political operative? Try an exceptionally bright and articulate GA Tech grad who was harrassed by that school for being enough of an individual to think conservative thoughts, sued the school for discrimination against conservatives so future students could be free to think as well, and WON! Then she, along with her fellow patriot, Ruth Malhotra, jointly received the highest aware given by the American Conservative Union at CPAC for the battle they fought: The Ronald Reagan Courage Award. She’s now started at least one company of her own. So what in the world had YOU accomplished when you were a wet-behind-the-ears twenty-something?!
Kathy S. Hildebrand
August 8th, 2010 @ 2:23 am

Nathan Deal smells like Sonny Perdue?! Who do you think worked as chief of staff for Sonny Perdue? Karen Handel. So Orit Sklar is a wet-behind-the-ears political operative? Try an exceptionally bright and articulate GA Tech grad who was harrassed by that school for being enough of an individual to think conservative thoughts, sued the school for discrimination against conservatives so future students could be free to think as well, and WON! Then she, along with her fellow patriot, Ruth Malhotra, jointly received the highest aware given by the American Conservative Union at CPAC for the battle they fought: The Ronald Reagan Courage Award. She’s now started at least one company of her own. So what in the world had YOU accomplished when you were a wet-behind-the-ears twenty-something?!
Danny
August 8th, 2010 @ 7:36 pm

Hey Stacy – yeah the one and only (let’s hope)We did establish a scholarship to honor Mrs. Hansard and in fact we are having our 2nd Chorus reunion concert in D’Ville August 21st – if you’re anywhere near the ATL you should stop by that day during rehearsal. We still need help on the $$ but are close to the endowed level.

Glad to see you’re doing well and doing what you love!

DP
Danny
August 8th, 2010 @ 3:36 pm

Hey Stacy – yeah the one and only (let’s hope)We did establish a scholarship to honor Mrs. Hansard and in fact we are having our 2nd Chorus reunion concert in D’Ville August 21st – if you’re anywhere near the ATL you should stop by that day during rehearsal. We still need help on the $$ but are close to the endowed level.

Glad to see you’re doing well and doing what you love!

DP
josh
August 9th, 2010 @ 8:20 pm

Well if you look on Facebook, Phil Kent is friends with Karen Handel, not Nathan Deal.

I think that speaks for itself as to who Phil is supporting.
josh
August 9th, 2010 @ 4:20 pm

Well if you look on Facebook, Phil Kent is friends with Karen Handel, not Nathan Deal.

I think that speaks for itself as to who Phil is supporting.
PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS HQ : The Other McCain
August 10th, 2010 @ 8:14 pm

[…] runoff, and there’s also a dead-heat contest between Nathan Deal and Karen Handel for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.A good preview of all tonight’s primaries at Swing State Project.UPDATE: Here’s a story […]
BREAKING: Handel Concedes; Nathan Deal Wins Ga. GOP Gubernatorial Runoff : The Other McCain
August 11th, 2010 @ 12:39 pm

[…] have united to help save my native state from a return of Retread Roy Barnes. And thanks to Orit Sklar for giving me the heads-up last week.NATHAN DEAL for GEORGIA GOVERNORUPDATE: Let me hasten to add that Libertarian […]