Upcoming election coverage
Saturday: A final look at early voting totals and preparations for Election Day.
Sunday: Results and analysis of a Georgia Newspaper Partnership poll on who’s leading in the gubernatorial race and other statewide races. Plus, a look at the historic nature of Tuesday’s election if two Hall County men are elected to lead the state. And find voter guide info on when and where to vote and what you’ll need to bring.
Monday: A look at the likelihood of a runoff in the governor’s race.
Tuesday: Catching up with Nathan Deal’s activities the day before the election.
Wednesday: A special section devoted to election results.
Gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal, Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Republicans seeking state office emphasized job creation as they made their plea for Republican votes next Tuesday during a political rally Thursday afternoon.
The event at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth was the final stop for Republicans who joined the “Jobs Here, Jobs Now” bus tour around the state with Gingrich’s group “American Solutions.”
Gingrich, who has been mentioned as a potential candidate for president in 2012, endorsed Deal in the primary election.
Speakers at the rally touted the party’s goals for job creation and encouraged their supporters to get out and vote in Tuesday’s election.
Deal, of Gainesville, faces Democrat Roy Barnes and Libertarian John Monds for the state’s top office.
Deal said Republican candidates for all state offices would unite behind their common goals.
“People all over the state of Georgia are excited about this election because they want to put Georgians back to work and that’s what we’re going to do,” Deal said. “We would be able to put people in constitutional offices in this state who could actually work together for the good of the citizens of the state of Georgia, and that’s what Republicans are going to do.”
Deal said if elected he will make Georgia a more business friendly environment.
“I will sit down across the desk from these executives and tell them: ‘If you want people who are willing to work, if you want people who are going to be employees you can be proud of and if you want a state that is going to give you a favorable tax policy, come to the great state of Georgia,’ ” Deal said.
Gingrich energized the conservative crowd at the Gwinnett Center, drawing frequent applause and affirmative outbursts at his criticism of the Obama administration.
Gingrich talked about repeating the Republican success of the 1994 midterm election. He encouraged people in attendance to contact everyone they know and tell them to vote Tuesday.
“Don’t just contact people here in Georgia. We have close races all over the country,” Gingrich said.
Among candidates attending were Sen. Johnny Isakson and GOP nominees Sam Olens (attorney general), Gary Black (agriculture commissioner), Liz Carter (4th District House representative), Mark Butler (labor commissioner), John Barge (school superintendent) and Tim Echols (public service commissioner).