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Rare alliance of tea party and Chamber in Georgia

By WTOP Staff

BILL BARROW
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — For all the wrangling between the tea party and establishment conservatives in this midterm election year, key players from both sides are lining up behind one candidate in Georgia’s Republican Senate primary runoff.

Tea party favorite Karen Handel announced Wednesday that she’s backing U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston over businessman David Perdue in a July 22 runoff. Some of her notable backers had already committed to Kingston in the runoff.

Her announcement came the same day that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an establishment titan that spent almost $1 million supporting Kingston in the initial primary campaign, announced another statewide ad buy for Kingston. The spot features Georgia Bulldogs football hero and 1982 Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker.

Handel, a former Georgia secretary of state, finished third in a May 20 primary for one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Michelle Nunn in a Nov. 4 general election that will help determine which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Barack Obama’s administration.

The GOP needs six more senators to claim a majority and cannot afford to lose the seat opened by the retirement of Saxby Chambliss.

Kingston welcomed his former rival, saying she’ll help him “unite the conservative family.”

Handel was sharply critical of Kingston, an 11-term congressman, and Perdue, a former corporate CEO, leading up to the first round of voting.

“It’s the career politicians and the out-of-touch elitists who have gotten us into this mess,” she said at one debate.

Her most personal exchanges came with Perdue, who suggested she wasn’t qualified for the Senate because she has only a high school diploma. But she still lambasted GOP incumbents like Kingston. “Republicans had control of the House, Senate and White House” during part of the second Bush administration, she said while campaigning. “What did we do? Nothing. We did nothing.”

Handel said Wednesday that her criticisms were “in the past.” She called Kingston a “consistent, effective conservative” who is “fiercely dedicated to the conservative principles that are the foundation of the Republican Party and that I want to see return to Washington.”

Perdue spokesman Derrick Dickey said via email that voters still prefer an outsider. “This just goes to show the clear choice he is giving voters,” Dickey wrote.

Handel’s decision is the latest in a string of developments that allow Kingston to pitch himself as a unifying conservative, but it also highlights the narrowing gap between the archconservative activists and the established powers they have sharply criticized.

Handel said she still believes that Washington needs new blood, though she also said, “Hitting the ground with some political experience is important.” She noted that Kingston won 74 percent of the Senate primary vote in the 1st Congressional District he’s represented for two decades. “That speaks volumes,” Handel said.

Kingston’s endorsement list puts the chamber, which has promised to spend lavishly to quash the tea party influence in the midterms, alongside several notable conservatives. National Tea Party Express leader Julianne Thompson and RedState.com editor Erick Erickson, both Georgia residents, initially supported Handel but now back Kingston. The congressman already had an endorsement from Fox News broadcaster Sean Hannity.

That could force Kingston into a tight spot on certain issues in the Senate. The U.S. Chamber supported a Democratic-led overhaul of immigration law and a bipartisan deal to reopen government last fall and raise the nation’s borrowing limit. In the House, Kingston sided with tea party interests in opposing both efforts.

Kingston said Wednesday that he sees no conflict. “We are going bring together people who want to reform government, people who want to cut spending, people who want a strong national security,” he said.

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Follow Bill Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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