Handel, Deal appear headed to runoff

ATLANTA – Karen Handel and Nathan Deal appeared headed for a runoff in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Meanwhile, former Gov. Roy Barnes appeared to have won the Democratic nomination outright.

With 43 percent of precincts reporting, Handel had 32.6 percent of the vote to Deal’s 24.6 percent, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Since neither candidate garnered more than 50 percent of the vote, the two will face each other in a runoff.

In the Democratic primary, Barnes picked up 63.3 percent of the vote.

With 43 percent of precincts reporting, here is the breakdown of the Republican gubernatorial primary:

  • Karen Handel, 117,435, 32.6 percent
  • Nathan Deal, 88,632, 24.6 percent
  • Eric Johnson, 67,681, 18.8 percent
  • John W. Oxendine, 62,884, 17.4 percent
  • Jeff Chapman, 12,521, 3.5 percent
  • Ray McBerry, 10,126, 2.8 percent
  • Otis Putnam , 1,504, 0.4 percent