The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: on Jobs

Casey Cagle: Create 500,000 jobs in first term, to beat Deal's 319,000

Cagle said he would quickly appoint an economic development liaison to work with businesses to streamline permitting, and he said he'd hit the road to recruit companies around the nation and the globe with an emphasis on targeting high-tech firms. "We've been successful in being the Hollywood of the South," he said, "but now we will be the Silicon Valley of the South."

His 500,000 job creation goal is lofty: Deal put economic development at the center of his campaign, and he said he created more than 319,000 private-sector jobs in his first term.

Nathan Deal: Economists don't pay attention to unemployment rates

The bitter back-and-forth played out against months of campaign rhetoric focusing on education and the economy, the two dominant themes of this election. Deal touts more than 300,000 jobs created on his watch and an education budget this year that includes more than $300 million in new K-12 money. Carter said the state is drowning in wasted potential that he can unlock with a pledge to boost classroom funding.