But the former secretary of state made almost no mention of the man who defeated her in a bare-knuckles Aug. 10 runoff - Nathan Deal.
"Let me just reiterate the statement that I put out on Aug. 11 where I made it clear that I support the ticket and I reiterate that today," Handel said in an Atlanta speech to Pocketbook Politics, a group of conservative Georgia business women.
Handel made no mention of Deal in her remarks, which centered on ways to bring more women into politics. Afterward, during a question-and-answer session, she mentioned Deal once as she surveyed the room to see which campaigns were represented.
Handel declined to talk to reporters.
Handel endorsed Deal after falling about 2,500 votes short of the former congressman in the summer runoff. But with women voters seen as pivotal in the race for governor, she has been nowhere to be seen on the campaign trail.
During their bitter GOP race, Handel assailed Deal as "a corrupt relic of Washington." Deal attacked Handel for being to soft on gay issues and abortion.
Democrats recently sent out a flier - seemingly aimed at women voters - invoking Deal's rough treatment of Handel in the contest.
On Friday, Handel told the crowd of female conservatives "not to accept as truth anything that's put out on an anonymous flier."
And she said this election is "too important to let what did or didn't happen affect your voting decision."
She questioned who they would want making judicial appointments or replacing either of the state's two U.S. senators, both Republicans.
"I ask everyone to put the past where it belongs, in the past," Handel said.
Handel said Georgians deserve an "honest, ethical and transparent government." That had been a them in her campaign against her male opponents. She attacked Deal on those same issues during their runoff campaign.
Democrat Roy Barnes has taken up the mantra in the general election.











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