By John Fredericks / Staff

"Karen Handel has turned her campaign into a punch line," quips Nathan Deal for Governor spokesperson Brian Robinson. "It could have been a legitimate policy issue. Now it's a character issue."

The "issue" Robinson cites revolves around Handel’s alleged support of gay rights in Georgia, specifically those centered on taxpayer-funded domestic partner benefits.

Handel and Deal, both Republican candidates for Georgia governor, are locked in a tight primary battle for second place, and a coveted spot in the August run-off against yearlong GOP polling frontrunner John Oxendine, the state’s Insurance Commissioner. Handel appeared to have gained the edge in momentum last month when the Northside's powerful and popular U.S. House Rep. Tom Price (R-GA/6th) changed gubernatorial horses in mid-stream. Price, who had endorsed his Georgia congressional delegation colleague Deal last year, suddenly reversed course. He withdrew his support for his former compatriot in favor of Handel, his longtime political associate and Roswell neighbor.

But things have unraveled for Handel since then. Price, out of professional courtesy, reportedly told Deal of his decision a full month in advance of his official announcement. This gave the Deal camp time to digest it, and when Price sent out his press release they were ready. Deal unleashed a political cannon barrage of uncharacteristically sharp language, unloading on both Price and Handel. He questioned Price’s judgment and motivation, saying where he comes from, “your word is your bond.”  Deal, playing the “No more Mr. nice guy role,” seemed to regain his footing from the episode. He went on offense and never looked back.

Since then "Team Deal" has been pressing Handel to come clean on whether she has made an about-face on her support for a series of gay rights initiatives. The political volley ratcheted up to a fever pitch this week when a serious of emails were released to the press by the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans, part of a national gay rights activist group. Handel had steadfastly denied the existence of the correspondence, and her campaign spokesman, Dan Mclagan, was adamant in his claims that any “proof” the Deal campaign had was bogus, saying the whole story was pure fabrication.

KAREN’S GAY RIGHTS CONUNDRUM

Atlanta has a large and vibrant gay population, many of whom are fiscally conservative, but socially liberal. Handel may have cultivated their support in her successful run for Fulton County Commission Chair in 2002. Fulton County is home to a large and politically active gay community. Voters that are critical to winning a race there can be an albatross around the neck of a Republican running in a statewide primary.

And Handel is finding that out. As a gubernatorial aspirant in a conservative wave year dominated by Tea Party activists, her potential prior support of anything close to being perceived as a gay activist agenda may prove anathema to some Republicans. It has the potential to erode the former secretary of state’s support outside of the metro area. Georgia passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage by more than a three to one majority in 2004.

But Handel maintains she opposes gay tax-payer subsidized benefits and asserts that in her 2006 secretary of state campaign she voted against expanding them as chairwoman of the Fulton County Commission.

DEAL: LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE

The Deal camp has claimed for several weeks they had valid proof showing Handel's one time support of the gay partner initiative. However, several of their sourced documents, including a candidate survey they were convinced Handel had filled out herself and sent to a gay activist group indicating her support of tax-payer funded partnership benefits could not be substantiated by this newspaper.

But e-mails sent from Handel's account in 2002 to the leader of the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans, released to the press this week, now appear to validate Deal's claims.

"I do support domestic partner benefits, and confirm my position here," Handel wrote to Marc Yeager on July 29, 2002.

Handel immediately disputed the validity of the e-mail, although it was signed, “Fondly, Karen.’” She claimed it was actually written by Matt Montgomery, her campaign manager in the Fulton County race, and that it misstated her position.

But Yeager isn’t buying it. And neither is Deal.

"I never had any kind of idea or feeling that I was communicating with someone other than Karen," Yeager told the AP.

Handel, he says, told him in conversations that she supported domestic partner benefits. Yaeger said he’s now convinced her position on the issue has changed to accommodate her new political aspirations.

“It’s frustrating because it makes you cynical about the whole political process,’’ Yeager said.

"As closely as I was working with her at the time, I certainly would not have made any statement…if it had not been expressed from herself and clearly understood that that was her position," Yeager said, in reference to quotes attributed to him about Handel’s support of benefits in a free gay weekly newspaper, which has since gone out of business.

Montgomery did not return phone calls by press time, but he reportedly told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he wrote the message.

Robinson called it incredulous. "She somehow has the gall to say the correspondence, written from her email account, under her signature, from her desk, and signed, ‘fondly Karen’ is not hers?" Robinson asked, rhetorically.

Deal's campaign has been trying to paint Handel as the liberal Republican in the race for some time. They’ve accused her of supporting gay adoptions, which she has also denied.

"She'll do anything to get elected," Robinson said, before attempting to turn the whole flap into a character issue.

"This speaks to Handel's character, Robinson continued. "She lied. She got caught. She lied again. She's like a flailing fish on the shore gasping for air."

"This was shocking to watch," he concluded. "And now, even after all this, they continue to lie."

Deal commended Yeager for his courage in coming forward, and says had it not been for him, the Handel campaign would have gotten away with it.

HANDEL FIRES BACK

Handel blasted Deal for resorting to scare tactics in an effort to win.

"This is an age-old strategy where you yell 'gay' and say 'who hates gays the most'" she said.

Handel's campaign later pointed to a pair of votes that Deal made soon after entering Congress to demonstrate his hypocrisy on gay issues.

In 1993, Deal voted against an amendment that sought to require the Defense Department to ask individuals entering the armed forces if they are homosexual. The following year, Deal supported an amendment to weaken a measure that would have prevented any educational agency receiving federal funds from advocating homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle.

McLagan said the votes showed Deal’s real colors. But Robinson countered that his candidate voted the same way as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich did on what he classified as "arcane amendments."

The two candidates communications directors then proceeded to send out point-counter point emails through the weekend.

Right now, Deal has seized the initiative, and the high ground. That’s a potent political duet with just five weeks remaining to the election. The Georgia primary is July 20.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.