Today the Georgia Republican Assembly participated in the “We Demand an Audit” Freedom Rally in Rome, Georgia where the GRA’s NFRA Director Nathaniel Darnell spoke alongside other activist leaders and candidates protesting the failure of Republican elected state officials to thoroughly and properly investigate the allegations of voter fraud in last year’s elections. The event was organized by GRA member Charles Stoker of northwest Georgia. The event was planned several weeks prior to former President Donald Trump‘s announcement that he would be hosting a similar rally himself in Perry, Georgia.

“We do believe Secretary of State Raffensberger, Lt. Governor Duncan, and Governor Kemp had it within their constitutional jurisdiction to investigate the allegations of voter fraud prior to certifying the results, and they had the moral duty to do so,” said GRA NFRA Director Nathaniel Darnell, who also serves as the elected Chairman of the Cobb County chapter. “A special session of the legislature could have and should have been called last December, and there are audits and investigations they could pursue now. That being said, we do not necessarily think that means that Vernon Jones would be an improvement as the Republican nominee for Governor. State Rep. Vernon Jones has an extensive voting record as a Democrat state legislator, and you can see it on our voter scorecards on the GRA web site. His record does not demonstrate loyalty to Republican principles, and so there is no reason to assume he would necessarily do a better job than Governor Kemp.”

Representatives for Kandiss Taylor for Governor were present at the rally to speak on behalf of her candidacy as a third option for the Republican nominee for Governor. Kandiss Taylor herself was attending President Trump’s rally in Perry. Georgia may still have other candidates announce a run in the Georgia Republican primary for Governor besides Kemp, Taylor, and Jones.

“People compare Vernon Jones to Ronald Reagan because they both were Democrats who switched parties and ran for Governor in their states,” Darnell continued. “But Reagan went through a 18 year transition from being a Harry Truman Democrat supporter in 1948 to running for Governor of California as a Republican in 1966. During that transition Reagan proved his change of heart was real by stumping repeatedly for Republican candidates such as Nixon and Goldwater in California. It wasn’t an overnight change that appeared opportunistic. People have a good reason to be skeptical of Vernon Jones.”

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The GRA has not yet voted to endorse a candidate in the race for Governor and probably will not until after qualifying is completed. It takes a two-thirds majority of the membership of the GRA in order for a candidate to earn the organization’s endorsement.

Other speakers at the rally in Rome included Ricardo Davis who was representing VoterGA, an organization that has been leading a key lawsuit in Fulton County to bring to light evidence of election fraud in that county. Garland Favorito has been the primary spokesman of VoterGA and works closely with Ricardo in that effort.

Harvey Wysong also spoke on jury nullification at the rally, and former candidate Derrick Grayson gave a charismatic speech calling out various Republicans in Georgia for hypocrisy. Speakers also protested violations of “medical freedom” through policies such as President Joe Biden‘s proposed vaccination mandate.