Republican governor hopefuls squabble over runoff calendar

ATLANTA (AP) – As Republican candidates for Georgia governor face seven more weeks of a bruising runoff battle, even the lengthy runoff itself has become contentious.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp have attacked each other over the prolonged schedule. Meanwhile Democrat Stacey Abrams is working to unify her party and making a pitch to general election voters.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Georgia runoffs take nine weeks because absentee ballots must be sent to military and overseas voters 45 days before a federal election. A federal judge ruled in 2013 that Georgia was violating this requirement by holding runoffs within just three weeks.

Cagle accused Kemp’s office of bungling the case that forced the long runoffs.

Kemp shot back, pointing to the consensus among Republican leadership for the change.

___

Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com