GAINESVILLE - Gov. Nathan Deal made the final stop of his campaign bus-tour in his home county Saturday afternoon with Election Day 2014 just three days away.<br />
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Deal brought an entourage of GOP office-holders with him. Ninth District Congressman Doug Collins and First District Congressman Jack Kingston, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, State Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, State Attorney General Sam Olens - all took the podium to rally the crowd of about 300 supporters at the Gainesville Civic Center.<br />
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While the Georgia elected officials received their fair share of applause and cheers from the GOP faithful, the crowd saved their most enthusiastic welcome for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.<br />
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Christie, the Chairman of the Republican Governor's Association, has been traveling across the country lending his support to GOP candidates.<br />
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"Let me tell you, everybody's going to be watching Georgia on Tuesday night. Are you ready?," Christie asked.<br />
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The NJ governor also pointed out how vital it was to the Republican Party that David Perdue win the U.S. Senate race in Georgia.<br />
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"Not only do we need to return Nathan Deal to the Governor's seat because of the great job he's done, but we've got to send David Perdue to the United States Senate," said Christie. "It'll be great for Georgia because you'll have a great senator to represent you, but here's the better news - that means [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid is out of a job."<br />
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Christie encouraged the crowd members to cast their own ballots, but he also told them that they needed to push other Georgians to vote, as well.<br />
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"You're already with Nathan Deal, you're already with David Perdue, you're with our Republican ticket," said Christie. "Your job now, in the next three days, is to go out and bring your friends and your family, your neighbors and your co-workers."<br />
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The stop was Christie's second visit to Georgia during the campaign, and the Republican Governors Association has poured more than $3 million into Deal's re-election bid.<br />
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Deal, speaking with members of the press before the rally, said he has been encouraged by the crowds he's seen as he toured the state by bus. And, he said he is hoping a run-off will not be necessary.<br />
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"We're not taking anything for granted," said Deal. "The early voting numbers look very good, and those who didn't get a chance to turn out for early voting, we hope they're going to show up on Tuesday."<br />
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Deal told reporters while the bus tour campaign officially ended in Gainesville Saturday, he'll still be on the campaign trail Monday, flying to various stops around Georgia the day before the election.<br />
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Meanwhile, Democrat challenger Jason Carter spent his Saturday on a bus tour, as well, making stops in Vidalia and Baxley before talking with tailgaters outside Georgia's football game against Florida in Jacksonville. Carter made a stop in downtown Gainesville earlier in the week.<br />
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<i>The Associated Press contributed to this story.</i>
