Canton, GA — Last Saturday, nearly 200 GRA members and guests from every corner of the state gathered at the GRA Endorsement Convention to hear candidates for GA GOP office, vote on endorsements, fellowship, have lunch together, and conduct other business.
The membership was pleased to endorse five candidates for statewide GOP office: Joanna Hildreth, James Dvorak, Norine Cantor, Laurie McClain, and Kylie Kremer.
GRA 1st Vice President Brant Frost V reported that this was the best attendedEndorsement Convention in the history of the GRA. Some people arrived late in the afternoon, but at the time of the final Credentials Committee report, we had 188 people in attendance, including 136 voting GRA members and 52 guests.
The Georgia Republican Assembly is a grassroots, member-led organization dedicated to promoting bold constitutional conservatism, integrity, and accountability within the Republican Party. At our State Endorsement Convention, members from across Georgia convened in a vibrant and successful assembly to advance our shared principles by endorsing candidates who represent our values.
The endorsed candidates each received a 2/3rds majority vote, thereby ensuring a strong consensus behind the endorsement. The races for Second Vice Chair and Assistant Secretary both went into run-off ballots, which the body voted to allow in the convention rules.
The Second Vice Chair race contained fourcandidates, three of whom were GRA members, but none of the candidates received 2/3rds on the first ballot for Second Vice Chair. When no candidate in a race received 2/3rds of the vote, GRA members had the opportunity to make a motion for a run-off ballot, where the candidate who received the lowest number of votes would drop off. Like any other motion, this required a majority vote of the convention body each time it was allowed, and the rules required “No endorsement” would be an option on every ballot.
The idea behind this method was to ensure, if a member’s first pick candidate lost, but they still wanted to see the GRA endorse someone in the race, they could make a motion for a run-off ballot and change their vote. This method is usually preferred by members who know there is an Establishment candidate in the race and who want to solidify support behind one of the anti-Establishment options.
Ultimately, Norine Cantor won the endorsement for 2nd Vice Chair on the third ballot. Kylie Kremer also won the endorsement for Assistant Secretary on the third ballot.
Meanwhile, incumbent Laurie McClain won the GRA endorsement on the first ballot in the race for Treasurer. Over the last term, Laurie has earned confidence through her transparency and professionalism. With close to 40 years of experience as a CPA, her credentials as a fiduciary are impressive.
James Dvorak from Cherokee County also won the 2/3rds endorsement for Over 80K Chairman on the first vote.
The only candidate to receive a unanimous vote of support at the convention on the first vote, however, was Joanna Hildreth from Catoosa in her race for Under 80K Chairman! Joanna has been the Chairman of the Catoosa County GOP — one the leaders of the accountability effort in that county to block four RINO commissioner candidates from re-qualifying as Republicans in the primary.
Attendees submitted nearly 100 questions for a lengthy Q&A that grappled with many issues of concern to activists around the state. We are grateful to both Josh McKoon and David Cross, the candidates running for GA GOP Chairman, for their participation.
Ultimately, however, no candidate for Chairman won the 2/3rds needed to receive the endorsement. No one made a motion to go into a run-off ballot for the Chairman’s race, probably because the body knew it was unlikely many members would change their vote on a second ballot.
No one won the endorsement either in the 1st Vice Chairman’s race, but attendees did get to hear from two of the three candidates: Salleigh Grubbs from Cobb and Lisa Pierce from Upson.
Attendees were also inspired by a rousing speech from Mallory Staples, Executive Director of the Georgia Freedom Caucus who highlighted the importance of having GOP leadership who is willing to stand up for Republican heroes like Sen. Colton Moore (R-Dade).
We received many thanks from those who attended. Participants praised the convention especially for the paper ballot system used to conduct the endorsement votes and for Alex Johnson who chaired in his customary even-handed and fair manner. It was a great time.
GRA Members Endorse GA GOP Rules Proposals Ahead of GOP Convention
In addition to making endorsements, GRA members took the opportunity to support numerous rules proposals that have been submitted to the GOP for consideration at the June Convention. These proposals include a rule requiring the GAGOP to provide the delegate lists to candidates without requiring the candidates to sign the 9-page NDA with the onerous non-disparagement clause.
Another rule GRA members voted to support (section 10 in the Resolutions Committee report) adds language to the oath that Republican candidates have to sign when they run for government office that would require them to swear and affirm that they will not sue the GA Republican Party for any reason, and if they do sue the party, they consent to pay the legal fees. This is a brilliant way to ensure the GAGOP can exercise their right to freedom of association, not qualify RINOs and avoid massive legal fees.
GRA members strive to take constructive action to fix the problems we observe in the party. We don’t just complain. We put in the work necessary to create solutions to reform the party. The GRA genuinely wants the GAGOP to be successful in it’s mission and wants the party to operate with integrity.
These rule proposals would amend the standing rules of the GAGOP, not merely the convention rules. Some would argue we don’t have time to discuss rules at the convention, but many GRA members feel that consideration of these rules at the GOP convention this year would be a far better use of our time than listening to politicians talk for 4 hours!
GRA Passes Resolutions Urging the GOP to Take Accountability Action
The convention body unanimously adopted 6 resolutions!
One of the resolutions commended the GA GOP Executive Committee for expelling Geoff Duncan, and others called for the GOP to exercise accountability power in prohibiting the qualification of Brad Raffensperger and Speaker Jon Burns. It read:
“Resolved that the Georgia Republican Party shall not qualify, allow to be qualified, or take any action to allow Jon Burns to qualify or run for any elected office as a Republican unless and until a GAGOP State Convention removes this restriction; and
Be it Further Resolved that the Georgia Republican Party shall fully defend against any future lawfare or legal action taken by Jon Burns or others that in any way claims that the Georgia Republican Party is or can be required to allow Jon Burns to run for public office as a Republican.”
GRA newsletters have reported in the past on the legislation sponsored by Sen. Ed Setzlerthat sought to make local County Commission races non-partisan, thereby concealing the ideology of the candidates from the voters, making low-information voters even less informed, and thereby potentially helping RINO commissioners escape the accountability of their local party.
One resolution adopted on Saturday, if passed at the GOP convention in June, would prohibit the party from qualifying for office any of the legislators that support making partisan races non-partisan because of the way that change would hurt voters. Remember, ideas have consequences. Democrat public policy and RINO public policy hurts real people.
This accountability measure would help protect Georgians from harmful and immoral government policies.
The GRA calls upon all delegates to join us in supporting our five endorsed candidates and passing these important rules and resolutions at the upcoming state GOP convention! We look forward to collaborating with you to reform the Republican Party and elect principled leaders in Dalton.