Palin endorsement pays in Georgia Gov. primary

Reuters:

A candidate endorsed by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin won the most votes on Tuesday in Georgia's Republican primary for governor but fell short of the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff next month.

Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel, who trailed in opinion polls before Palin's July 12 endorsement, led with 34 percent of the vote, with 70 percent of precincts reporting.

She will meet former U.S. Representative Nathan Deal in the August 10 runoff. Deal was running second with 23.1 percent. The winner will face former Democratic Governor Roy Barnes in the November election to succeed Republican incumbent Sonny Perdue.

"The Palin endorsement really helped Handel," Charles Bullock, a University of Georgia political science professor, said on Tuesday.

Bullock said Handel's jump in the polls was comparable to the boost South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley got from Palin's endorsement in May. Haley won the Republican primary for governor.

...

The Palin endorsement is more valuable than campaign contributions this year. It has been the most valuable endorsement in recent memory. Some candidates are going to have to quit ridiculing her and start looking for her support

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