Karen Handel
Encyclopedia
Karen C. Handel is an American
politician in the state of Georgia
who served as Secretary of State of Georgia
from 2007 until her resignation in January 2010 when she ran for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election
as a Republican
. She announced in December 2009 that she would resign as Secretary of State in order to focus on the gubernatorial race full-time. On August 10, 2010 she had a runoff with her opponent Nathan Deal
in the Republican primary. She conceded on August 11.
and grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
. After graduating from high school Handel began taking college courses at night but did not complete her degree and went to work for Hallmark Cards
. Later, she would serve as Deputy Chief of Staff to Vice-President Dan Quayle
's wife, Marilyn
, where she worked to promote breast cancer
awareness.
Handel worked at several major companies including global eye care company Ciba Vision
and international accounting firm KPMG
. She served as President and CEO of the Greater Fulton County Chamber of Commerce
, where she was directly responsible for working with state, local, national and international organizations to bring job growth to north Fulton County
. Handel discovered that the Chamber was near fiscal insolvency after an employee was found to have embezzled nearly all of the chamber's funds and successfully managed the once-troubled organization through financial turbulence.
In 2002, Handel was named Deputy Chief of Staff by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
, where she served as a policy advisor and supervised constituent services, the Governor's Mansion, and general administration services.
Board of Commissioners in a special election to replace Mike Kenn
, receiving 58% of the popular vote. She ran in 2002 unsuccessfully. Handel is also credited with passing county ethics laws.
on November 7, 2006 with over 54 percent of the vote, making her the first elected Republican Secretary of State in Georgia's history and the second woman elected Secretary of State. The Secretary of State's Office has nearly 500 employees and oversees elections, corporations, securities and professional licensing boards, and also controls the state archives and the Capitol museum.
As Secretary of State, Handel defended and implemented Georgia's photo ID law, which requires Georgia voters to show state-issued photo identification prior to casting a ballot in-person, and created the Agency's first Chief Investigative Officer to pursue elections and consumer fraud.
Handel launched the Transparency in Government Initiative on the Secretary of State's website (www.sos.ga.gov), which displays the yearly budget, monthly spending totals, and Secretary Handel's political contributions and personal financial disclosures.
Handel also implemented verification of citizenship when registering to vote as required by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). She defended that implementation in the Fall of 2008 in the face of lawsuits from the ACLU and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education fund (MALDEF). Within weeks of election day, two federal courts sided with Handel and the state of Georgia on the importance of verification and ordered the state to continue the processes through the election. In May 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice
ordered Georgia to cease citizenship verification under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act which requires federal approval to any changes in election laws in a number of (primarily southern) states. Continued legal battles over the issue are considered likely.
, who received 23%. Since neither candidate received a majority, they faced off in the Republican Gubernatorial run-off on August 10, 2010. Handel received the endorsement of former Republican 2008 Vice-Presidential
candidate Sarah Palin
. Handel also received the endorsements of former Massachusetts
Governor Mitt Romney
and Arizona
Governor Jan Brewer
.
47% to 42% in the hard fought primary runoff campaign. Handel lost the runoff election to Deal 50% to 49%--with about 2,500 votes separating them. Handel rejected a recount and conceded to Deal the next day.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician in the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
who served as Secretary of State of Georgia
Secretary of state of Georgia
The secretary of state of the U.S. state of Georgia is an elected official with a wide variety of responsibilities, including supervising elections and maintaining public records....
from 2007 until her resignation in January 2010 when she ran for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election
Georgia gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Republican Governor Sonny Perdue was term-limited and unable to seek re-election. Primary elections for the Republican and Democratic parties took place on July 20, with a Republican runoff on August 10. The...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. She announced in December 2009 that she would resign as Secretary of State in order to focus on the gubernatorial race full-time. On August 10, 2010 she had a runoff with her opponent Nathan Deal
Nathan Deal
John Nathan Deal is a United States politician, the 82nd and current Governor of Georgia. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1992 but switched to the Republican Party in 1995...
in the Republican primary. She conceded on August 11.
Early career
Handel was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. After graduating from high school Handel began taking college courses at night but did not complete her degree and went to work for Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
. Later, she would serve as Deputy Chief of Staff to Vice-President Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
's wife, Marilyn
Marilyn Quayle
Marilyn Tucker Quayle is an American lawyer, novelist, and political figure who is the wife of former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle and held the unofficial title of Second Lady of the United States from 1989 until 1993....
, where she worked to promote breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
awareness.
Handel worked at several major companies including global eye care company Ciba Vision
CIBA Vision
CIBA VISION is a company that researches, develops, and manufactures contact lenses and lens care products. A Novartis company, it is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia in the Johns Creek Technology Park. Manufacturing plants are also located in Germany, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia...
and international accounting firm KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
. She served as President and CEO of the Greater Fulton County Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, where she was directly responsible for working with state, local, national and international organizations to bring job growth to north Fulton County
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
. Handel discovered that the Chamber was near fiscal insolvency after an employee was found to have embezzled nearly all of the chamber's funds and successfully managed the once-troubled organization through financial turbulence.
In 2002, Handel was named Deputy Chief of Staff by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
, where she served as a policy advisor and supervised constituent services, the Governor's Mansion, and general administration services.
Fulton County Board of Commissioners
In 2003, Handel was elected Chairman of the Fulton CountyFulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
Board of Commissioners in a special election to replace Mike Kenn
Mike Kenn
Michael Lee Kenn is a former American football player who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1st round of the 1978 NFL Draft. A 6'7", 275-lb. offensive tackle from the University of Michigan, Kenn played his entire 17-year NFL career with the Falcons from 1978 to 1994. He is notable for...
, receiving 58% of the popular vote. She ran in 2002 unsuccessfully. Handel is also credited with passing county ethics laws.
Secretary of State
Handel was elected Secretary of State of GeorgiaSecretary of State (U.S. state government)
Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
on November 7, 2006 with over 54 percent of the vote, making her the first elected Republican Secretary of State in Georgia's history and the second woman elected Secretary of State. The Secretary of State's Office has nearly 500 employees and oversees elections, corporations, securities and professional licensing boards, and also controls the state archives and the Capitol museum.
As Secretary of State, Handel defended and implemented Georgia's photo ID law, which requires Georgia voters to show state-issued photo identification prior to casting a ballot in-person, and created the Agency's first Chief Investigative Officer to pursue elections and consumer fraud.
Handel launched the Transparency in Government Initiative on the Secretary of State's website (www.sos.ga.gov), which displays the yearly budget, monthly spending totals, and Secretary Handel's political contributions and personal financial disclosures.
Handel also implemented verification of citizenship when registering to vote as required by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). She defended that implementation in the Fall of 2008 in the face of lawsuits from the ACLU and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education fund (MALDEF). Within weeks of election day, two federal courts sided with Handel and the state of Georgia on the importance of verification and ordered the state to continue the processes through the election. In May 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
ordered Georgia to cease citizenship verification under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act which requires federal approval to any changes in election laws in a number of (primarily southern) states. Continued legal battles over the issue are considered likely.
2010 Gubernatorial run
Handel aimed to run for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election. She announced in December 2009 that she would resign as Secretary of State in order to focus on the gubernatorial race full-time. Handel received 34% of the Republican primary vote against former Congressman Nathan DealNathan Deal
John Nathan Deal is a United States politician, the 82nd and current Governor of Georgia. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1992 but switched to the Republican Party in 1995...
, who received 23%. Since neither candidate received a majority, they faced off in the Republican Gubernatorial run-off on August 10, 2010. Handel received the endorsement of former Republican 2008 Vice-Presidential
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
candidate Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
. Handel also received the endorsements of former Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Governor Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
Governor Jan Brewer
Jan Brewer
Janice Kay "Jan" Brewer is the 22nd and current Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona and a member of the Republican Party. She is the fourth woman, and third consecutive woman, to hold the office...
.
Republican runoff election
The Georgia Newspaper Partnership commissioned a poll which was published on August 7, 2010, which indicates that Handel leads Nathan DealNathan Deal
John Nathan Deal is a United States politician, the 82nd and current Governor of Georgia. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1992 but switched to the Republican Party in 1995...
47% to 42% in the hard fought primary runoff campaign. Handel lost the runoff election to Deal 50% to 49%--with about 2,500 votes separating them. Handel rejected a recount and conceded to Deal the next day.
External links
- Karen Handel for Governor official campaign site