In Georgia race, Republicans battle as Democrat chases upset

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia special congressional campaign has become an internal conservative squabble, with a national conservative group blasting a Republican establishment favorite as a big-spending "career politician," while other GOP hopefuls argue over who's most loyal to President Donald Trump.

Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel was the initial GOP favorite among the 18 total candidates vying to replace Tom Price, who resigned to serve as Trump's health secretary.

Handel dismisses the broadsides — for example, that she spent $2 million "planting trees to beautify government properties" — as a warped view of budget votes while she was commission chairman for Fulton County, which includes nearly all of Atlanta.

National Republicans and their aligned political organizations frame Ossoff, a former congressional staffer turned investigative filmmaker, as an inexperienced, ambitious climber certain to be a "rubber stamp" for House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Gray, in turn, tweaks Handel for touting private sector experience when her name recognition comes from time in public office.

Asked about his allegiance to Trump, Gray declined to tell the Associated Press who won his vote in Georgia's presidential primary, calling the matter a distraction and emphasizing his volunteer activity for Trump's general election campaign.