Karen Handel Biography

Karen Handel is a lifelong conservative who has built a career in both the public and commercial sectors on strong budgetary and organizational management. She graduated from high school and entered the workforce at the age of 17, after fleeing an abusive family. She has had a great political and corporate career because of her tenacity and commitment. Karen most recently published Planned Bullyhood: The Truth Behind Susan G. Komen for the Cure's Planned Parenthood Funding Battle, based on her experiences as Komen's Senior Vice President of Public Policy when Komen opted to stop funds to Planned Parenthood and subsequently reversed its decision. Karen was instantly made the focal focus of the left's outrage over Komen's decision due to her pro-life convictions. Karen made the brave decision of publishing her book in response to Planned Parenthood's bullying methods. She portrays the country's largest abortion provider as a leftist political machine prepared to harm anybody or any group in order to forward its cause and keep the roughly $1.5 million in government cash flowing into its coffers. Karen was elected Chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners in 2003, and she rapidly acquired a reputation for toughness in balancing the county's budget and combating corruption. She inherited a budget with a $100 million deficit, but she balanced it, as well as all subsequent budgets during her term, by making prudent expenditure cuts and avoiding tax hikes. After an audit uncovered millions in stolen and plundered monies, Karen received statewide and national notoriety by spearheading the movement to remove the corrupt Sheriff from office. Karen's efforts resulted in the recovery of virtually all of the cash that had gone missing. Karen spearheaded the state's introduction of picture ID for voting, which became the national model for the law, as Georgia's first elected Republican Secretary of State. During the 2008 presidential elections, she successfully defended and executed the law, which witnessed record minority and total voter turnout. Karen took over a department with about 400 people, but she lowered the budget by nearly 20% and implemented tight ethical regulations, including limits on gifts and nepotism. By disclosing all expenditures and income on the internet, the Secretary of State's office became the first "fully transparent" institution in state government. Karen ran for Governor as an "outsider" candidate in 2009. Campaigning on a platform of ethical reform, "genuine" government cutbacks, and comprehensive education reform that prioritized student and parent choice. She surpassed three much better-funded opponents and finished first in the Republican primary, but lost by 2500 votes in the primary run-off. Karen worked as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Sonny Perdue before being elected. Karen has had top management positions with CIBA Vision and the accountancy company KPMG in the private sector. She was also president and CEO of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, where she led an ambitious economic development program that helped create tens of thousands of jobs in North Metro Atlanta, bringing the chamber from the verge of bankruptcy to stability. Karen is the wife of Steve Handel, whom she describes as a prince among men.

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