The Marietta Daily Journal – Four U S Senate hopefuls condemn immigration bill at Georgia GOP convention

ATHENS — The four Georgia Republicans running for U.S. Senate said Saturday they are united in opposing a comprehensive immigration reform bill, because it doesn’t do enough for border security.

U.S. Reps. Paul Broun of Athens, Phil Gingrey of Marietta and Jack Kingston of Savannah, along with former Secretary of State Karen Handel, spoke at an event sponsored by the Georgia Republican Assembly as the GOP gathered for the second day of its state convention. The sign of unity came on a day when the state’s top elected official, Gov. Nathan Deal, urged the four “to be nice to each other” with a reference to a legendary feud.

“Competitive primaries may be exciting and energizing but we in Georgia cannot become the Hatfields and McCoys of Georgia, killing off our own before they even get out of the primary,” Deal said. “It’s important to win the primary but it’s even more important to win the general election.”

It was a message that Deal’s wife, Sandra, delivered early Saturday at a convention breakfast and the four candidates appeared to embrace — at least on the issue of proposed immigration reform. The bill pending in the Senate calls for funds to increase border security but candidates said the first step should be enforcing existing law.

“We absolutely must deal with it, but we don’t need any new laws,” Broun said. “The solution is to secure the borders, both north and south.”

via The Marietta Daily Journal – Four U S Senate hopefuls condemn immigration bill at Georgia GOP convention.