Superintendent John Barge said Friday he will challenge Gov. Nathan Deal in next year’s Republican primary with the message that the state should sharpen its focus on economic development and substantially increase funding for public education.
Barge’s decision, which comes weeks after he first publicly mused about a challenge, will shake up the statehouse and further politicize just about every aspect of education policy in Georgia. It also adds an intriguing rivalry to the race, as the two politicians have clashed over issues big and small.
“I believe that something has to change. Georgia needs a leader who will govern and not play politics,” Barge said in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Channel 2 Action News. “Whether we equal his war chest or not, I think what’s more important is what people will do when they go into the voting booth.”
The superintendent, who plans a formal announcement Tuesday at Smyrna’s City Hall, said he hopes to force a runoff in the three-way race against Deal that includes Dalton Mayor David Pennington. The challengers face steep odds against Deal, who has $1.1 million in the bank, an incumbent’s bully pulpit and the backing of most establishment Republicans.
Deal’s campaign said Barge will be scrapping with Pennington “for the 10 percent of the voters open to a challenger.”
“You can tell the strength of Gov. Deal’s position with the Republican primary electorate by the quality of the opponents who have announced against him,” said spokesman Brian Robinson.
via State superintendent to challenge Nathan Deal in GOP primary | www.myajc.com.
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