The Nathan Deal ad:

Gay adoption and domestic partnerships have taken center stage in Georgia's GOP gubernatorial primary, as the AJC's Jim Galloway notes:

“State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, former congressman Nathan Deal, and former state senator Eric Johnson are all pointing to former secretary of state Karen Handel's history on those particular issues.”

Handel, Georgia's former Secretary of State, is against gay marriage, civil unions, and gay adoption.

He points to a contentious interview Handel did with 11Alive in which she proudly spews her bigotry, which you can watch, AFTER THE JUMP…

Q: Frequently, folks in the Legislature kind of threaten to — there are always rumblings in the Legislature that they may outlaw gay adoptions. You're against gay adoption.

A: I am against gay adoption. But remember — I mean, if there is legislation on that, certainly I will follow that and look at it. But in the end, ultimately courts are going to be the ones to have to make the decision on that and it's always in the best interests of the child. Do I think that gay parents is in the best interest of the child? No. But we do have our court system that deals with many and most of those issues.

Q: Would you favor outlawing gay adoptions?

A: Yeah, I would consider that, absolutely.

Q: Do you know any gay couples with children?

A: Not that I'm aware of.

Q: So you think gay couples are less qualified to function as parents than straight couples?

A: I think that for a child to be in a household — in a family in a household with a situation where the parents are not married, as in one man and one woman, is not the best household for a child.

Q: Is it better or worse than a single parent household?

A: Doug, I'm really trying to be straightforward with you but I'm not going to debate all the nuances. I've made it abundantly clear that I think that marriage is between a man and a woman. And that's what I believe, and I don't know what more you would like me to add to that.

Q: I guess I want to know why you think gay parents aren't as legitimate as heterosexual parents.

A: Because I don't.