Murphy campaign gets out the vote in MD with Gov. Palin's robocall

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From the Brian Murphy for Governor campaign:

Crofton, Maryland – Today, the Brian Murphy for Governor campaign announced they will cap off their Get Out The Vote campaign with a RoboCall from Governor Sarah Palin (click here to hear the message). The calls will be made to the nearly 260,000 voters most likely to participate in tomorrow’s Republican Primary.

“Unlike his opponents, Brian is a proven business leader. Not a career politician. Brian Murphy and his running mate, Mike Ryman, are the only common sense, Pro-Life, Pro-2nd Amendment ticket in the race…They’re the right ticket to lead Maryland, and I’m Proud to endorse them,” said Governor Palin.

“Tomorrow, Republicans can vote their conscience and refuse to settle. Our core principles of fiscal responsibility and American family values will attract Primary voters tomorrow, and they will also attract General Election voters in November. Sarah Palin’s call will remind Republicans they don’t need to abandon their principles in order to win,” said Murphy.

Murphy is the underdog in his effort to upset moderate Robert Ehrlich in the GOP primary. But Gov. Palin's endorsement, according to Maryland-based GOP consultant Don Murphy, "helps put Brian Murphy on the field and in the game. It calls attention to a candidacy that otherwise doesn’t exist."

- JP

Handel concedes GA governor primary race (Updated)

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In a surprise move, Karen Handel has apparently conceded the Georgia GOP primary race for governor without waiting for the remaining absentee and military votes to be counted:

In a statement just released from the Handel campaign, she said she called Deal this morning to concede the nomination.The November ballot is now set. Deal will represent the GOP and face Democrat Roy Barnes and Libertarian John Monds.

Deal spokesman Brian Robinson said that U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., coordinated the phone call between Handel and Deal.

“They had a very good talk,” Robinson said. “Nathan congratulated her on a great campaign. She told him that she would not ask for a recount and that she would be on board to help the party to victory in November.”

Deal, Robinson said, “thanked her for her graciousness and said he looked forward to meeting with her in person.We thank her for putting the party first and saving us a lot of heartache. She has shown that she is putting Georgia first and we are greatly appreciative of her selflessness in this situation.”

More here.

h/t: Rusty

Update: Jack Warren comments at TWS Blog.

- JP

CBS News: Palin, Huckabee to campaign in GA for opposing candidates

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Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee have endorsed opposing candidates in Georgia's GOP gubernatorial primary, and the two former governors will make appearances for their respective candidates in the Peach State before Tuesday's runoff election:

Former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on Thursday endorsed former Rep. Nathan Deal, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Huckabee will appear at a rally for Deal in Gainesville, Georgia on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Palin will appear at a rally in Georgia on Monday, the Journal-Constitution reports, for the candidate she supports -- Georgia's former secretary of state, Karen Handel. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who was jolted into the national spotlight after deciding to take on the Obama administration over the issue of illegal immigration, has also endorsed Handel.

Handel and Deal will compete in a runoff on Tuesday, and the winner will face off against former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat.

The race is seen by some pundits as a preview by proxy of a slice of the race for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. That scenario is somewhat enhanced by the results of a new InsiderAdvantage/WSB-TV poll released Friday which has Deal and Handel even at 46 percent apiece.

- JP

Sarah Palin endorses Brian Murphy for governor of Maryland (Updated)

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On Facebook Wednesday, Gov. Palin endorsed "papa grizzly" Brian Murphy in Maryland's GOP primary race for governor:

Brian Murphy for Maryland

I’m honored to endorse Brian Murphy for Governor of Maryland. Brian is a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment commonsense conservative and a firm believer in the free market and the cause for energy independence. As a former energy industry executive and current small business owner, Brian has the private sector experience that is so lacking in government today. He knows how to incentivize industry to get our economy moving again. Together with his running mate for lieutenant governor, Mike Ryman, Brian will provide Maryland with principled and results oriented leadership.

Please join me in supporting Brian by visiting his website at www.brianmurphy2010.com and following him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the primary race, Murphy opposes former Gov. Bob Erlich, who lost to Democrat Martin O'Malley in November, 2006 after serving a single term.

Updates...

Brian Murphy issued the following statement in a press release from his campaign:

“I am humbled and honored to receive Governor Palin’s endorsement. Governor Palin has served her city, her state, her country, and her party with distinction. Governor Palin has always been led by principle, conviction and character. I look forward to working with her as we unify the Republican Party in Maryland, and around the country, on its core principles. Governor Palin’s endorsement is an honor and a privilege.”

The Baltimore Sun's political blog reported it here.

- JP