Category: Candidates
2025 GRA Legislative Scorecards Are Now Available!

2025 GRA Legislative Scorecards Are Now Available!

Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, we have finally completed the 2025 GRA Legislative Scorecards! Special thanks to our team of volunteers who devoted a large amount of time to collecting, sorting, and reviewing the data, and publishing it on our site. We have been publishing these scorecards longer than any other conservative organization — since 2017.

You can see the 2025 GRA Legislative Scores by clicking here. If you want to take a deep-dive into how the scores were earned on specific bills, you can also click here. Legislators in 2025 were evaluated by their votes on 66 substantive pieces of legislation (both House Bills & Senate Bills). That is far more bills than most other conservative organizations evaluate.

Click to see this video on the shocking truth exposed by the scorecards.

How We Evaluate

The state legislators are evaluated based on principles and policies that are and have been pillars of the Republican Party for years: Policies such as small government, less regulation, parental rights, gun rights, equal protection for all human life, low taxes, fiscal responsibility, etc.

One thing that makes our GRA Legislative Scorecards different, too, is that since last year we have started to include a 20% bonus credit for legislators who sponsored or co-sponsored excellent bills—whether they made it out of committee for a vote or not. This is because we have observed over the years how officials like the GA Speaker of the House or RINO committee chairs will often hold up good bills in committee and never allow them a hearing or vote, and we believed that our patriot legislators willing to promote good legislation, even when they are standing alone doing so, deserve credit for that courage.

Even so, this year, we have separated out the proportion of the score that was from their votes in the chamber verses their sponsorships so you would be able to evaluate both. We did this because we significantly increased the number of bills legislators could earn bonus credit on for sponsorships, and we wanted to allow you to be able to attribute the weight to each in your own minds.

The results of the scorecard evaluation are both encouraging and disturbing in different ways. On the positive side, we are pleased to report that the number of “A”-rated Republican legislators has continued to increase from four to five. Under our current system, a legislator who earns 80% or higher gets an “A” (following Ronald Reagan’s formula about 80 percenters). Over the years, very few state legislators have earned 80% or more.

Rep. Noelle Kahaian

The Best Performers

We were particularly glad to see the newest addition to the GA Freedom Caucus, Noelle Kahaian (R-Henry), added to the plus 80% club! It was great to see her integrity and courage under pressure in the legislature this last session. She earned a 96% vote score and a 100% score with her sponsorships added to the equation. She came in third place only behind Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-Cherokee) with a 98% vote score, and Sen. Colton Moore (R-Dade) with a 100% vote score.

In the GRA Bylaws, we have a rule that if a state legislator who is a GRA member scores lower than 80% for two years in a row, that person is “automatically” removed from GRA membership.

The Problem

On the more disturbing side of the evaluation, our review exposed that the most popular section for “Republican” legislators at the Georgia State Capitol was the “D” section (those who earn between 49% and 40%) with 68 “Republican” legislators belonging to that category. That is more than half (51%) of all the 133 “Republican” legislators at the state capitol!

Add to that the “Republican” legislators in the “F” section (those earning 39% or lower), which was 22, and then you have 90 so-called “Republican” legislators of the 133 who more often vote for Democrat policies in the legislature than they do policies that match the Republican principles and platform. That means that only 33% of the Republican legislators at the state capitol vote for Republican policies over Democrat policies at least most of the time. That’s truly pathetic!

Overall, the State Senate Republican Caucus did slightly better than the State House Republican Caucus. At least the Senate Republican Caucus had no members who fell into the “F” section this year.

The Worst Performers

Rep. Marcus Wiedower

The worst RINO in the legislature in 2025 was Rep. Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) with an “F” score of 30 percent. There were seven Democrats who had better voting scores than he had!

The best Democrat was Rep. Lynn Heffner (D-Augusta) who, with a score of 41%, performed better this year than 25 so-called “Republican” state legislators! This is demonstrable evidence that we have genuine “RINOs” in the state legislature.

Creating awareness of the extent of the problem with RINO-ness (or what some call “the Uni-Party”) is the first step to fixing the problem. Many are still in denial that we have a RINO problem in the Republican legislative caucuses. We cannot coordinate to build accountability for our Republican legislators if our activists are not first aware of how bad the conditions are.

The Only Qualified Candidate for GaGOP Treasurer

The Only Qualified Candidate for GaGOP Treasurer

This a guest post from GRA-endorsed candidate for Treasurer Laurie McClain.

As we draw closer to the 2025 Georgia Republicans State Convention, I would like to share a few things about my candidacy that you may not know and correct a few things that you may think you know.

If you haven’t heard, the rules of the Georgia Republican Party require that the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer be a CPA, Accountant, Bookkeeper or Financial Advisor.  There is only one candidate in this race that meets this minimum basic requirement.  Here are my credentials: 

• BBA from Georgia State University in Accounting
• Certified Public Accountant
• Certified Forensic Accountant
• Master of Taxation from Georgia State University
• Member, Taxation Advisory Council, Georgia Society of CPAs
• Currently a College Accounting Instructor
• Currently pursuing a Master of Legal Studies at Texas A & M
• 39 years’ experience in the financial and accounting field

This alone disqualifies my opponent.  There’s more to being a Treasurer than being a rubber stamp.

Let’s move on and look at my experience:

– Current Treasurer of the Georgia Republican Party – elected 2023
– Current Treasurer of the 9th District Republican Party – elected 2025
– Current Vice Chair Gwinnett Transit Advisory Board – appointed 2024
– Former First Vice Chairman – Gwinnett GOP – elected 2023
– Former Treasurer – Gwinnett GOP – elected 2021
– Candidate for Gwinnett County Commission – 2012 and 2020
– Former Chairman’s Budget Review Committee (Gwinnett) – appointed 2012, 2013
– Former Chairman Gwinnett County Transit Review Committee – appointed 2019 
– Former Member of Engage Gwinnett – appointed 2009
– Former member Citizens Project Selection Committee for Gwinnett SPLOST – 2014, 2017

Clearly, I am respected by many and sought after for my financial abilities.  And I obviously have a heart for service since these are all volunteer positions!

Then, there are my accomplishments.  I hate to brag, but I must….

  1. As Treasurer of Gwinnett GOP, the chairman and I brought transparency back to the party.  This allowed us to raise tens of thousands of dollars over the four years I was on the executive committee that we used to help our local candidates.
  2. I created an accounting system for Gwinnett that previously did not exist.
  3. I took the GaGOP County Treasurer Training Manual and updated and enhanced it.  I used this as the basis for many zoom-based training courses for county treasurers to assist them in their financial compliance requirements.  

Finally, let’s talk about me, personally.

I’m a Georgia native, a 51-year resident of Gwinnett County, and life-long Republican.  I’m married to a wonderful man, a retired Dekalb County firefighter who saved my life in 2018, when I had a near fatal heart attack.  I have three grown children and one precious granddaughter.  I put myself through college and worked as a legal secretary for a small law firm in Atlanta while I was in school.  I guess I was around 20 years old and guess what…..I managed their finances!!  Just maybe I have found my calling!

Seriously, though as an accountant for almost 40 years, my integrity and character are as important as my tax and accounting skills.  I have been as transparent with the party’s financial standing as my ethical responsibilities will allow.  I’ve answered every single question that I’ve ever been asked, even if the answer was, “I can’t tell you that.”  I believe in transparency.  I have worked hard to give the party just that and I will continue to make it a priority as your next Treasurer.

 I have tried to run an honest and positive campaign because I believe we are better together.  While discourse is good, discussion is better.  Got a problem?  Let’s talk about it!  Have a question?  Ask!  Let’s all make sure we are rowing the boat in the same direction.  That is the only way we can kick Ossoff’s butt in 2026!  Vote for Laurie McClain as Treasurer of the Georgia Republican Party on June 7, 2025 in Dalton!  

Spotlight on our Endorsed Candidates Laurie McClain & Norine Cantor

Spotlight on our Endorsed Candidates Laurie McClain & Norine Cantor

We want to highlight for you today two of our GRA-endorsed candidates for State Party. At our recent 2025 GRA State Endorsement Convention, we endorsed incumbent Laurie McClain for Treasurer and Norine Cantor for 2nd Vice Chairman

Watch the video presentations from the Treasurer & 2nd Vice Chair candidates from our convention on our YouTube and Rumble channels now available here:

Click to watch the Treasurer candidate presentation from our GRA Endorsement Convention.
Click to watch the 2nd Vice Chair candidate presentation from our GRA Endorsement Convention.
GRA-Endorsed State Rep. Noelle Kahaian Tells Her Remarkable Story

GRA-Endorsed State Rep. Noelle Kahaian Tells Her Remarkable Story

State Rep. Noelle Kahaian (R-Henry) is a rising star in the Georgia General Assembly, and her story is remarkable and inspiring. First, she had an amazing win against a RINO incumbent Lauren Daniel (who earned a 34% vote score her freshman year) who out-spent her 6-to-1. Then Noelle survived the pressure-cooker from the Establishment in her first legislative session, developing a reputation has resilient patriot defending our Republican principles in policy-making.

Our GRA President Nathaniel Darnell interviewed her to tell her impressive story, which you can now watch here:

GRA Wins BIG at the GA GOP Congressional District Conventions

GRA Wins BIG at the GA GOP Congressional District Conventions

David Oles

Thank you for all our GRA members for coming out and participating across the state at the many congressional district GA GOP conventions held last Saturday! We are grateful for the blessing of God on our efforts, and are pleased to report the abundant success!

We are pleased to report that in the 11th Congressional District GA GOP Convention, virtually all of the endorsed candidates for various positions were elected. In particular, GRA-endorsed candidate David Oles from Pickens County won re-election as the 11th District GA GOP Chairman by a margin of 153 to 98!

GOP Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch congratulates Richard Jordan for his election as the new 7th District Chair.

In the 7th Congressional District, GRA-endorsed candidate Richard Jordan from Cherokee County won election as the new District 7 GA GOP Chairman. Richard has been serving over the last several years as the North Metro RA chapter President. Several GRA-endorsed candidates and GRA members also won positions on the down-ballot, including Fulton GOP Chairwoman Stephanie Endres, Honey Burfield from Cherokee, Tom Talbot from Hall, Sig Jucknies from Cherokee, and Seanie Zappendorf from Dawson, who were elected to the State Committee.

Kandiss Taylor & Brittany Brown

In the 1st Congressional District, GRA-member Kandiss Taylor passed the mantle of leadership to Brittany Brown as the new District Chairwoman! Brittany has been servinga s the SEGRA chapter President and also the Chatham County GOP Chairwoman for the last few years.

In the 4th Congressional District, GRA-endorsed candidate Jim Duffie won re-election easily as the 4th District GA GOP Chairman. GRA Chairman Alex Johnson, Dr. Kendra Biegalski, William Freeman, and Austin McDonald — all GRA members — were also elected to the state committee in the 4th.

In the 3rd Congressional District, Katie Frost was also easily re-elected as the 3rd District Chairwoman. Her brother Brant Frost V, mother Krista Frost, Denise Ognio, and Jim Fernander are each GRA members who were elected to the GA GOP State Committee from the 3rd as well.

The only district where a GRA member was pitted against an Establishment candidate and lost was in the 9th Congressional District.

Although Brian Parker (former Banks County GOP Chairman) was not officially endorsed in the 9th because no GRA endorsement convention was held in the 9th, he is a GRA member and patriot who was preferred over staunch Establishment candidate Stephen Aaron in the northeast corner of the state. It still baffles the mind that a congressional district with a Congressman possessing such an exceptional voting record like Andrew Clyde’s has such a poor track record of picking District Chairs! But Brian was the target of several hit pieces by Debbie Dooley and other Establishment tools in the days leading up the district Conventions.

GRA President Nathaniel Darnell congratulates Angela Rubino.

Another notable win for the GRA came in the 14th Congressional District where the Etowah RA chapter President Angela Rubino defeated the Establishment Floyd County GOP Chairwoman Pam Peters for election to State Committee by a margin of 142 to 78 votes!

Angela had challenged Pam for Floyd County GOP Chair during the county convention but had lost by a margin of 49 to 63.

In addition, GRA President Nathaniel Darnell, GRA Secretary Joanna Hildreth, GRA Assistant Secretary Jackie Harling, Eddie Caldwell, Linda Fowler, Teresa Ray, and Denise Burns are all GRA members who were elected to the State Committee from the 14th.

Even in outlier congressional districts, GRA members experienced wins. For example, Allison Largeman and Tifani Eledge won elected to the state committee in the 2nd District, along with Sam Carnline. Although Sam is not a GRA member, he is a leader in one of our partner organizations, Georgians for Truth. In the 8th District, Mike Niesler is a GRA member who was elected to the state committee, and in the 6th District Matthew Hardwick is a GRA member who was elected to the state committee.

Here is an additional breakdown of our how endorsed candidates for the district conventions fared:

On Down-Ballot Races in the 7th:

Read More
7th & 11th Regional Endorsement Convention Selects District Candidates

7th & 11th Regional Endorsement Convention Selects District Candidates

This coming Saturday, most of the Congressional District GA GOP organizations will be hosting their district conventions, and if you are a district convention delegate or alternate, it is imperative that you attend and help ensure we get the best patriots possible elected to leadership in the GA GOP at this level for the next two years!

In Woodstock Tuesday night, our North Metro RA chapter (Pickens & Cherokee), our Fulton RA chapter, and our Cobb RA chapter combined to co-host a Regional Candidate Forum & Endorsement Convention for the 7th & 11th Congressional Districts. We heard not only from the District Chair candidates for these races, but also from dozens of down-ballot ones.

As a result, the participating GRA membership voted by a 2/3rds majority to endorse the following Chair candidates:

• For 7th District Chairman: Richard Jordan from Cherokee County

• For 11th District Chairman: David Oles from Pickens County

David Oles speaking at the regional endorsement convention.

David Oles is the incumbent District 11 Chairman, and has been serving as one of three attorneys helping pro bono with the Catoosa GOP lawsuit against the four RINO commission candidates. In addition, he has been leading as an attorney on several premiere election integrity suits.

David has been the first non-Establishment grassroots Chairman that District 11 has had in decades (one of his recent predecessors donated to Democrats while serving as the Republican District Chairman!).

Richard Jordan has been the chapter President for our North Metro RA chapter for the last few years, and has been very pro-active in local Republican politics and election integrity reform efforts. He’s a go-getter with a gift for organization and getting things done!

The convention also endorsed on many (but not all) down-ballot races, which you can see below.

– On Down-Ballot Races in the 7th:

Read More
GOP Majority Continues to Shrink in GA State House

GOP Majority Continues to Shrink in GA State House

Although Republicans made wins up and down, far and wide, on Tuesday there was one area in Georgia GOP circles where enthusiasm was more muted.

GA Speaker Jon Burns

Democrats reportedly took two seats away from Republicans in the GA State House. One of the lost seats was from Rep. Mesha Mainor, who had been a Democrat who switched parties mid-term.

The Georgia State House Republican Caucus has been slowly diminishing its majority in the legislature since 2016, first under David Ralston‘s leadership and now under his successor Jon Burns. In 2020, Republicans lost five seats in the State House. In 2018, Republicans lost nine seats. Not since the election of 2016, when President Donald Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton, have Republicans in the State House not lost seats in their caucus. 

But even Trump’s coattails were not able to keep the State House “Republican” Caucus from losing seats this year. Indeed, even with Governor Brian Kemp campaigning and financially supporting the incumbent GOP caucus candidates so heavily, reports are showing that they appear to have lost two seats in the State House this week.

During the wave of the T.E.A. Party movement in the first half of the 2010s, Republicans saw steady gains in the Georgia legislature and across the country. But as Republicans have failed to live up to the promises of reform made under that movement, Republican voters have grown increasingly disillusioned.

The State House has also developed a reputation of being the more Left-leaning of the two legislative chambers at the State Capitol. They have blocked and watered down Election Integrity reform, they pushed the notorious ominous “Mental Health Parity” bill (socialized medicine), they have locked up pro-life and medical freedom legislation so that it is not even allowed to be discussed in committee, etc., etc., etc. This year they sanctioned State Sen. Colton Moore when he accurately began to speak on the harmful legacy of the late Speaker David Ralston. 

Janelle King

About the only significant positive achievement the House can claim is the appointment of Janelle King to the state Elections Board this year.

Even this year’s legislative accomplishments touted were a mixed bag, such as the election integrity reforms that don’t do into effect until two years from now, or the “school choice” voucher system that will likely lead to new government intrusions into private education (“with shekels come shackles”).

However, we are not discouraged because GRA members are making huge strides to provide needed accountability to our state legislators! When Republican politicians don’t advance true Republican policy, GRA members are ready to expose the truth to the voters in their community. GRA members are using our scorecards across the state to inform the electorate, organize local chapters, recruit and endorse principled candidates, and sacrifice the time and treasure required to save our state from fake Republicans. 

If you would like to help continue building on the successes of the last year, please consider becoming a GRA member today!

Trump Picks NFRA-Endorsed Sen. J.D. Vance for Vice President

Trump Picks NFRA-Endorsed Sen. J.D. Vance for Vice President

Milwaukee, Wisconsin — President Donald J. Trump announced his pick for running mate: JD Vance from Ohio!

Donald Trump and J.D. Vance

We are particularly excited about this decision because at our NFRA Convention last year in Orlando, Florida, the NFRA delegates endorsed seven potential candidates for Vice President — and only J.D. Vance remained on the short-list.

We appreciate President Trump hearing our counsel and advice to have a better conservative like Vance on his team, rather than some of the other candidates who were on the short list. The Freedom Index, a scorecard provided by the John Birch Society, which upholds a high standard on a variety of issues, gives Vance an 86% voting record as a U.S. Senator.

Both former President Donald Trump and Senator Vance were both overwhelmingly nominated as the Republican nominees for President and Vice President in 2024 at the convention.

How To Recognize A Good Candidate (and Avoid the RINOs)

How To Recognize A Good Candidate (and Avoid the RINOs)

Not all Republicans are the same. What is the difference between a good Republican and a bad one?

One of the major distinctions between a GRA-endorsed candidate and a run-of-the-mill Republican is how the candidate would determine if a piece of legislation is good or bad.

(R to L) Former Congressman Paul Broun with his wife and former State Sen. Mike Crane

The esteemed former Congressman Dr. Paul Broun (GA-10) developed an excellent method of evaluating legislation that could serve as a model for any candidate. It was a simple four question test.

1) Is it Moral?
2) Is it Constitutional?
3) Do We Need it?
4) Can We Afford it?

Dr. Broun required the legislation to pass all four questions to receive his support. Using this grid, he earned the nickname “Dr. No” while serving in Congress because of the minuscule number of bills that passed his four question test and earned his “yes” vote.

Of course, all of these questions presuppose that the legislator has actually read the bill. In the event the legislative leadership places a large bill on your desk in the morning and expects you to vote on it by Noon, the default vote should be “No.”

In addition to Dr. Broun’s four question test, I imagine our founding fathers might ask these questions as well:

Does this legislation conform to the laws of nature?
Is this legislation in harmony with the Law of nature’s God?
Would this bill be just to all of my constituents?

The T-shirt most of the incumbent “Republicans” are handing out at their fundraisers this time of year. 😉

By contrast, the establishment RINO candidates have a strikingly different grid for evaluating legislation that goes something like this:

1) Does the Republican Leadership approve of this bill?
2) What would my large donors think about this bill?
3) Would this legislation advance my personal political career?
4) How is the mainstream media likely to characterize this bill?
5) Would I be criticized for supporting this bill?
6) Would I be marginalized by other legislators for supporting this bill?

Another factor to consider as we attend candidate forums this year is the character of the candidate. The Bible provides a divinely inspired list of qualifications for determining whether an elected official is worthy of being entrusted with authority. Exodus 18:21 says:

“Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:”

Following the Exodus of God’s people out of slavery in Egypt, Moses was tasked with implementing a system of government for adjudicating controversies among the 3 million former slaves of the fledgling nation. It was not a centralized government. It was decentralized. (See this article.) They established rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

This became the requirement for the rulers and judges over the people, at every level:

    ⁃    Able men (competence)
    ⁃    Fear God
    ⁃    Men of Truth
    ⁃    Hating Covetousness

Founding Father Noah Webster, who wrote the first American Dictionary, said:
“When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, ‘just men who will rule in the fear of God.’ The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.”  
[Noah Webster, History of the United States (New Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832), pp. 336-337.]

An inclination of magistrates to greed, corruption, accepting bribes or special interest lobbyists money has been a concern for more than 4,000 years. It crosses party lines and remains one of the major concerns among honest American voters today.

According to Exodus 18:21, one of the qualities you should look for in a civil magistrate is someone who has a righteous indignation and disgust for covetousness. Any candidate who truly hates covetousness is probably not, for example, going to be able to vote in good conscience for the Georgia budget next year without a massive overhaul to remove the corporate welfare handouts to Hollywood companies, among other things.

Similarly, lying politicians must have been a problem 4,000 years ago as well, because “men of truth” is another requirement. A commitment to the truth is vital among those leading in the civil realm. A man of truth keeps his campaign promises. A man of truth doesn’t tell constituents he is pro-life, then tell the feminists he supports abortion, and change his position a dozen times based on the audience present or the latest polling data.

These requirements, and the Law of God, became the foundation for the Hebrew Republic. Our founding fathers recognized the importance of these qualities as essential to the preservation of our constitutional republic. (See this article.)

So, as you attend candidate forums this year and consider which Republicans to support in the primary, try asking the candidates “If you were elected, how would you evaluate legislation?” And judge them by the Exodus 18:21 standard. What are some other questions that you have found useful? Please comment them below.

10 Candidates Endorsed at Regional RA METRO Endorsement Convention!

10 Candidates Endorsed at Regional RA METRO Endorsement Convention!

Canton, GA — Three GRA local chapters joined together last Saturday for a combined Regional Metro Endorsement Convention. Our North Metro RA Chapter (which includes Cherokee & Pickens counties), our Cobb RA chapter, and the Fulton RA chapter combined to hold a regional endorsement for local races in three congressional districts, spanning ten counties. Many GRA Members have been working for months to recruit candidates to primary RINOs and on Saturday they came together and endorsed ten candidates at this local endorsement convention.

Most of these legislative candidates at the event pledged to join the Georgia Freedom Caucus, affirmed their support for government accountability and indicated they would pattern their time in the legislature after State Senator Colton Moore (R-Dade). State Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-Cherokee) also gave one of the keynote messages at the event, re-capping what happened during the recent legislative session, and called for more candidates to join the caucus.

GRA President Nathaniel Darnell, who presided over the regional endorsement convention, interviewed the candidates from the stage, and participating members took turns asking well-thought-out questions from the floor as well.

The GRA only endorsed candidates by a two-thirds majority of the voting members at a convention. Here below are the candidates endorsed at this regional convention:

GA State House

Charlice Byrd, HD 20 (Cherokee)
https://charlicebyrd.com

Paul Kettering, HD 22 (Cobb & Cherokee)
https://ketteringforgahouse.com

Gary Chafee, HD 35 (Acworth area).
https://chaffeeforga.com

Phoebe Eckhardt, HD 47, (Milton area, North Fulton).
http://phoebe4georgiarep.com

• Norine Cantor, HD 30 (Flowery Branch)
https://www.norinecantor.com

Michael Gordon, HD 49 (Fulton)
https://www.gordon4georgia.org

Gregg Kirkpatrick, HD 21 (Cherokee)
https://www.kirkpatrickforga.com

Judicial

Trey Goodwin, Cherokee Chief Magistrate

GA State Senate

Ben Paul Fremer, SD 32 (challenging incumbent Kay Kirkpatrick)
https://www.benpaulfremer.com

U.S Congress

Michael Pons for 11th Congressional District (Bartow, Cobb, Cherokee, Gordon, & Pickens)
https://www.mikepons.org