Despite a number of missteps, Republican gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal has sustained voter confidence with a lead in the polls and a full war chest.

Since winning the Republican primary, Deal has had to claw his way past media reports of financial trouble as well as a storm of negative advertisements from Democratic foe Roy Barnes.

"Deal has had a lot of negative publicity about him, and usually you'd expect that this would harm the individual and take away the lead he's enjoyed," said Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia. "None of those seem to particularly hurt him."

In September, Deal admitted he was on the hook for more than $2 million in loans he guaranteed for his daughter's failed outdoor sporting goods store in Habersham County.

The loans come due in February. Deal has said he is selling the commercial property, along with his Gainesville home and liquidating a retirement account to make good on the debt.

The Deal campaign also had to amend a state financial disclosure form after realizing the forms left off $2.85 million in active business loans for the auto salvage business Deal co-owns.

The news hasn't made a major dent in fundraising efforts.

Since Aug. 6, Deal has received about $2.67 million in contributions for his campaign.

Bullock said many voters can relate to Deal's troubles.

"His problems are much more understandable to voters," Bullock said. "A few years back, it was really shocking to hear someone was going to maybe go bankrupt or lose a home to foreclosure. Now, literally tens of thousands of people lose homes through foreclosure and run into financial problems."

At this point, it appears there are few things left Deal could do to hurt himself.

"If he were photographed doing a ‘perp walk,' that would hurt," Bullock said.

And after years and years of political scandals throughout the country, it is also possible people have a higher threshold for what they consider a vote-costing offense.

"The voters may have even come to almost expect it and think that's what politicians do," Bullock said. "They may not be as shocked."

Bullock said Deal's Teflon veneer has a lot to do with Georgia's mostly conservative electorate.

"This is a red state and it's redder in a midterm election than it is in a presidential," Bullock said.

Bullock said he believes steady poll numbers are directly correlated with steady campaign contributions.

"There's reason to believe that if a person's poll numbers could go down, it could dry up their contributors," Bullock said. "If you were inclined to send him a check, with the strength he continues to show against Barnes, you're probably going to write that check."

Though Deal has maintained only a slight lead that stays in the single digits, other Republicans in statewide races have enjoyed much larger leads in polls. It is possible the negative publicity could have cut into a potentially higher lead over Barnes. However, Barnes is a stronger and more widely known opponent than many other conservatives are facing.

"Deal may be paying something of a price for the negative stories coming out against him," Bullock said.