District 8 House race turns sour in final stretch

Election 2018, News

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – As the May 22 General Primary election draws near, state House District 8 challenger Mickey Cummings has launched what his opponent, Representative Matt Gurtler, described as a “smear campaign” by resorting to a barrage of published political attacks geared toward the incumbent’s voting record.

At a public speaking engagement April 27 in Hiawassee, Cummings said he had no intention of running a negative campaign.

Matt Gurtler

Rep. Matt Gurtler

In a paid advertisement, Cummings claims that Gurtler has “voted against our kids,” while asking, “Don’t our children deserve better?”

Cummings included Gurtler’s voting history, listing “no” to school safety funding, “no” to better training for school resource officers, and “no” to hundreds of thousands of dollars for our local schools.

Gurtler explained that the issues Cummings has chosen to highlight were lumped together within the “all-or-nothing” $26 billion state budget, which Gurtler has repeatedly described as “omnibus, riddled with subsidies, and wasteful spending.”

Gurtler believes the budget should be divided and departmentalized, with separate votes cast for each sector.

Gurtler says Cummings is cherry-picking segments embedded within the bloated budget, hoping to solicit an emotional response from voters.

“What you are seeing are typical establishment tactics, a blanket attack,” Gurtler told FetchYourNews (FYN). “This election is between me and the establishment. It shows just how deep the swamp goes. They don’t want a dissenting voice in the House. They want an ask-no-questions, yes-man.”

State House leaders, including House Speaker David Ralston, have poured a total of $13,700 into Cummings’ campaign thus far, with Cummings recently announcing a political rally scheduled for May 16, at the Union County Farmers Market, with sitting Governor Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston in attendance.

While negative campaigning is often considered “politics as usual,” it is unprecedented for an acting governor to endorse the opponent of an incumbent within his or her own party.

Mickey Cummings

Mickey Cummings

Time will tell whether Governor Deal’s decision to campaign for Cummings hinders or favors Gurtler’s re-election odds.

Cummings did not return FYN’s request for comment on campaign contributions, nor the upcoming rally.

A debate between the state House candidates will be aired live on FYNTV.com Tuesday, May 14, at 9 a.m.

FYN Chief Executive Officer Brian Pritchard will moderate the state House District 8 debate.

Count on continuing coverage as Election Day approaches.

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