Newnan, GA— GRA members from all over the state met on Saturday, April 2nd at the Newnan Centre to hear speeches from candidates and vote on endorsements. The event was called to order at 10:00am and wrapped before 5:00pm with Chick-fil-A lunch included.
Over 300 tickets were sold to this GRA Convention. Under the rules of the organization, a candidate may only be endorsed if he receives at least a 2/3rds vote of the participating membership. A vote for “no endorsement” is always an option.
Here are the official results of the 2022 GRA Endorsement Convention:
GRA Candidates Endorsed for State House
- State House District 1: Jackie Harling (pending chapter approval) *
- State House District 12: Robert Watson (Chattooga County)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Eddie Lumsden with a vote score of “F” 38% (2019) and “F” 35% (2020)
- State House District 13: Luke Martin (Floyd County area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Katie Dempsey with a vote score of “F” 39% (2019) and “F” 39% (2020)
- State House Distrct 17: Neil Wolin (Paulding County area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Martin Momtahan with a vote score of “C” 50% (2019), and “D” 45% (2020)
- State House District 20: Charlice Byrd (Cherokee County) (incumbent)
- State House District 22: Jordan Ridley (Cherokee County area)
- State House District 23: Allen Hutchinson (Waleska / Cherokee area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Mandi Ballinger with a vote score of “D” 44% (2017), “D” 40% (2018), “C” 54% (2019), and “A” 84% (2020)
- State House District 24: Sheri Gilligan (Forsyth County area) (incumbent)
- State House District 28: Blake McClellan (Forsyth County area)
- State House District 33: Dylan Purcell (Hart & Franklin County area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Alan Powell with a vote score of “F” 32% (2017), “D” 43% (2018), “D” 44% (2019), and “D” 42% (2020)
- State House District 37: Tess Redding (Marietta / Cobb County area) *
- State House District 39: Olivia Angel (south Cobb County area) *
- State House District 50: Jill Trammell (John’s Creek area)
- State House District 51: Peter Korman (south Fulton County area)
- State House District 64: Shane Miller (Douglas & Paulding County area)
- State House District 65: Jan Horne (Coweta County area)
- State House District 67: Marziyah Marzi Amirizadeh (South Fulton)
- State House District 68: Stoney Mathis (Fayette County)
- State House District 70: Angel Nunez (Coweta County)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Lynn Smith with a vote score of “F” 35% (2017), “44% “D” (2018), “C” 55% (2019), and “D” 40% (2020)
- State House District 74: David Ballard (Fayette & Spaulding Counties)
- Challenge Republican incumbent Karen Mathiak with a vote score of “F” 37% (2017), “D” 42% (2018), “F” 39% (2019), and “F” 37% (2020)
- State House District 83: Catherine Bernard (DeKalb County area)
- State House District 100: David Clark (Buford area) (incumbent)
- State House District 108: Johnny Crist (Lilburn area)
- State House District 117: Noelle Kahaian (McDonough & Griffin)
- State House District 144: Jayson Stonne (Macon area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Dale Washburn with a vote score of “F” 39% (2019) and “D” 41% (2020)
- State House District 164: Chasity Pawvlik (Savannah area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Ron Stephens with a vote score of “D” 48% (2019) and “F” 36% (2020)
- State House District 175: Bill Blanchard (Valdosta area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent John LaHood with a vote score of “C” 51% (2019) and “F” 35% (2020)
- State House District 178: Cason Carbaugh (Blackshear area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Steven Meeks with a vote score of “F” 39% (2019) and “D” 43% (2020).
The number of endorsed candidates running for State House was particularly encouraging since virtually every one of these candidates pledged to not support David Ralston for re-election as Speaker of the House, if elected as a State Representative. Many of them also spoke against H.B. 1013.
* Under GRA rules, where a local race has an operational county or regional RA chapter, that chapter has primary jurisdictional authority to vote on endorsement of candidates. While this candidate was approved by the state convention, this approval must be finalized by the approval of the local chapter’s participating membership before it is made official.
GRA Endorsed Candidates for State Senate
- State Senate District 3: Jeff Jones (Brunswick area)
- State Senate District 6: Angelic Moore (Smyrna & Sandy Springs area)
- State Senate District 17: Brett Mauldin (McDonough area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Brian Strickland with a vote score of “B” 63% (2018), “D” 42% (2019), and “C” 54% (2020).
- State Senate District 18: Dianne Vann (Macon area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent John Kennedy with a vote score of “F” 33% (2017), “C” 58% (2018), “C” 50% (2019), and “D” 44% (2020)
- State Senate District 27: Greg Dolezal (Forsyth County area)
- State Senate District 32: Andy Soha (Cobb & Cherokee area)
- Challenging Republican incumbent Kay Kirkpatrick with a vote score of “D” 49% (2018), “F” 36% (2019), and “D” 48% (2020)
- State Senate District 47: Charlie Chase (north Athens area)
- State Senate District 48: Shawn Still (north Fulton & Gwinnett area)
- State Senate District 52: Derek Keeney (Bartow & Floyd area) *
- Challenging Republican incumbent Chuck Hufstetler with a vote score of “C” 50% (2017), “C” 55% (2018), “F” 39% (2019), and “C” 50% (2020).
* Under GRA rules, where a local race has an operational county or regional RA chapter, that chapter has primary jurisdictional authority to vote on endorsement of candidates. While this candidate was approved by the state convention, this approval must be finalized by the approval of the local chapter’s participating membership before it is made official.
GRA Endorsed Candidates for U.S. Congress
- Congressional District 1: No endorsement
- Congressional District 2: Vivian Childs
- Congressional District 3: Jared Craig
- Congressional District 4: Surrea Ivy
- Congressional District 5: No endorsement
- Congressional District 6: No endorsement
- Congressional District 7: Dr. Lisa Babbage (write-in)
- Congressional District 8: No endorsement
- Congressional District 9: Michael Boggus
- Congressional District 10: No endorsement
- Congressional District 11: No endorsement
- Congressional District 12: No endorsement
- Congressional District 13: Caesar Gonzales
- Congressional District 14: Marjorie Taylor Greene (incumbent) (unanimous vote)
GRA Endorsed Candidates for State Office
- Public Service Commissioner: Tim Echols
- Insurance Commissioner: Patrick Witt
- Labor Commissioner: Bruce Thompson
- State School Superintendent: No endorsement
- Attorney General: John Gordon
- Secretary of State: Jody Hice
- Lt. Governor: Burt Jones
GRA Endorsed Candidates for Top Ballot Offices
- U.S. Senator: Kelvin King
- Georgia Governor: No endorsement
In the race for Governor, both David Perdue and Kandiss Taylor performed strongly, but each candidate had an even number of votes, so neither received the two-thirds necessary to earn the GRA endorsement.
Comments: 15
Kandiss Taylor for Governor of Georgia!! No more twin frat boys for GA!! Let’s bring honor back to our beautiful red state!!
A vote for Kandiss Taylor is a vote for Kemp . Ala Lester Madox .Where does she get her money ????????
She gets it from the grassroots. That’s a horrible reason to vote for a rich out of touch candidate that will get eaten alive in a debate. His campaign slogan is “stop Stacy.” People did not even like him enough to come out and vote in the Senate election.
That is completely wrong. Kandiss jumped in the race because she was angry with Kemp and how the 2020 election was handled. A vote for Kandiss is a vote against the establishment. She gets her money from grassroots supporters who give donations. No PACs. No back room deals.
Jesus!
Kandiss Taylor is being supported by the Good people of Georgia that want to make Georgia better. We are donating to her campaign because she is fighting for our freedom and our children’s freedom.
From the people!
You are wrong Bill Pool, Kandiss gets her money from WE THE PEOPLE!!!
I was wondering why Carminthia Moore running against Sharon Cooper is not endorsed and I thought Suzi Voyles got the endorsement but I do not see it either.
Sorry my health has kept me from being a part of much of anything political for a while!
Grass roots. 1 small donation at a time. follow the bus and you will find out.
Kandiss Taylor for GA Governor.
Answer to where she gets her money: Grassroots campaign. Small donations from “We the People”.
Kandiss Taylor will get me vote, as will Kelvin King. I heard him give a speech at the Franklin Roundtable. He spoke from his heart, what he believes, thinks. He is the real deal.
Kandiss Taylor gets her money and support from people like me. Many of us are concerned about politicians putting money over morality. Me personally, it’s time to put statesman into our government instead of politicians.
Kandiss Taylor received her money and support from people like me. A concerned Citizen that does not like the direction our country is heading. We do not need any more politicians that put money over morality. We need statesman not politicians that love our country and fights for the people not their personal gain.
This is a Great achievement to help our Country become Great again one County at a time.