In Georgia, a Republican’s financial troubles recast the race for governor

Republican’s financial woes recast Ga. race

ATLANTA — In a Republican-leaning state in a Republican year, former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal should have been a sure thing in the Georgia governor’s race.

But a series of revelations about Deal’s financial woes, including that he’s so in debt he’s selling his home to avoid bankruptcy, has some Republicans anxious about their nominee.

A recent poll taken even before the latest revelations showed Deal nearly even with former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes.

Deal survived a bruising seven-person primary and subsequent runoff that focused in part on an ethics investigation of his meetings with Georgia officials regarding a lucrative business arrangement involving his auto-salvage business and the state.