Fresh Loaf

The Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary is still a year away, but gubernatorial candidate and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is ahead of the pack when it comes to kissing up to conservatives.

“I am running to protect the business community in Georgia from Roy Barnes and his anti-business friends. I am running to protect Georgia farmers from Roy Barnes and his environmentalist wacko regulators. I am running to protect the traditional values Georgia holds dear from Roy Barnes and the liberals in Atlanta. … I am going to run a positive campaign. “

— Oxendine plays defense against current candidate and former Gov. Roy Barnes in a June 24 fundraising pitch to supporters. The Democratic nomination is still more than a year away.

“[If elected governor, I'll] make it so uncomfortable that Planned Parenthood is not going to be able to operate in this state. They’re going to start losing money, and we’re going to make it economically difficult for them. … Yes, they will be out of business in Georgia. They will leave the state of Georgia.”

— Oxendine in a YouTube video uploaded May 12

“When I see this and my other three kids, it reminds me of why it’s important that I run for governor, and why it’s important that we transform government.”

— A campaign video posted hours after the July 8 birth of Oxendine’s son, showing the candidate with his wife, who’s cradling their newborn in a hospital recovery room

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Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine took to the Twitterverse earlier to announce he’d raised about $420,000 in his quest to become the GOP gubernatorial nominee. His campaign says he’s raised a total of $1.45 million to date and has “slightly over one million” cash on hand.

“John Oxendine’s positive message offering real solutions for the issues facing Georgia is clearly resonating with people all across the state,” said Tim Echols, campaign manager. “John Oxendine’s Contract with Georgia offers specific policy solutions the people of Georgia are looking for from a leader.”

Hmmm. Positive messages.

Last Thursday, Oxendine’s supporters heard a little bit of that positivity. In an email to fellow members of the Ox Army, the candidate asked supporters to scrounge up whatever coins they had in their couches, seal them in an email, and fax them to his campaign. The deadline for fund-raising reports was drawing near, Oxendine wrote, and he wanted to frighten his fellow elephants fighting for the nomination.

Sure, Oxendine touted the “Contract with Georgia” you’ll be hearing a lot about. But he also looked into the future, saw that former Gov. Roy Barnes had won the Democrat nomination, and decided it was time for some scare tactics!

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