Brian Kemp silent on allowing voters to decide on official English

Opinion

 Pro-English voters should ask questions

By: D.A. King 

A December 2015 Rosetta Stone poll showed that a bipartisan 76% of Georgians support making English Georgia’s constitutional official language. The idea is English as official, not “English only” as goes the portrayal by dishonest opponents.

Policy differences for candidates in the race for Georgia governor may not extend to allowing Georgia voters to decide if the state constitution should be amended to make English the official language of government.

According to an AJC report last week, Democrat candidate Stacey Abrams promised to oppose constitutional official English in the General Assembly as governor and boasted of fighting against allowing voters to answer a ballot question when she was in the legislature.

We thought it surprising that the AJC did not include a quote or position from Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp on the voter-popular issue, so  Wednesday, October 3, this writer sent a policy question and request for a quote to the Kemp campaign.

Brian Kemp – photo, Facebook

“Do you support allowing Georgia voters to decide on a ballot question that would amend the state constitution to make English the official language of Georgia government and which would end current practice of offering the written road rules portion of the DDS drivers license exam in (eleven) foreign languages?

 

If so, will you use the power of the governor’s office to promote that cause for the 2020 election?”

 

We have not received a response from candidate Kemp. Curious voters should ask him.

All concerned should be aware that Georgia has a 1996 statute in place that makes English the official language, but also says officials can ignore that directive: 

“State agencies, counties, municipal corporations, and political subdivisions of this state are authorized to use or to print official documents and forms in languages other than the official language, at the discretion of their governing authorities.”

 The concept of allowing voters to have a voice on the matter is quite popular in the Georgia senate. Introduced by state Senator Josh McKoon, in 2016 SR 675 passed the Georgia senate with every Republican member voting “YEA,” But it was not allowed a vote on the House floor. 

McKoon’s Resolution created a ballot question voters would have considered that year which read:

Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that English is the official language of the State of Georgia?”

All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote “Yes.”

All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote “No.” 

If such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall become a part of the Constitution of this state.”

Most conservatives would like to have the chance to answer that question in November, 2020.

Readers who are not closely involved in Gold Dome politics are likely asking why they have not already been permitted to vote on making official English part of the state constitution. It helps to know that the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce are vehemently opposed to that idea.

It may also help to know that in metro-Atlanta’s DeKalb School District alone, administrators are dealing with students from 180 different countries who speak 140 different languages.

Without a constitutional mandate that English is the official language of government, readers can make their own predictions on how long it is before the angry marches in the streets begin with the demand that government in Georgia accommodate every imaginable language with the cry that “diversity is our strength.”

It seems like something a Republican candidate for Georgia governor would comment on. Comprende?

D.A. King of Marietta is president of the Georgia-based Dustin Inman Society.

 

The Criminal Party

Opinion

The Democrat party has made winning elections an art form. Their speculation knows no bounds,
abides by no rules, except their own, and would not consider for a second, capitulating to the
inevitable until all votes are counted including those from unknown precincts that suddenly were
found in the trunk of a car or stacked on the shelves in someone’s office. They were never
reported loss but, now they are found. Imagine than, an amazing grace.

In Georgia, the extreme radical left wing socialist Democrat candidate for governor, Stacy
Abrams, came up short in the general election vote count, even for the number required for a
run-off so, in typical Democrat fashion her minions filed a law suit in the US District Court for
Middle Georgia, to allow absentee ballots from Dougherty County to be counted, so long as they
were postmarked on or before Nov. 6 or received by last Friday.

Well, guess what Federal Judge is charged with supervising the suit. It’s Leslie Abrams, an
Obama appointee and, Oh, Joy! the sister of candidate Stacy Abrams. Should one anticipate a
possible conflict of interest here? Will she be asked to recuse herself? Democrats, like Chuckie
Schumer will insist, with a straight face, that Leslie Abrams is an honest duly appointed Judge
whose integrity can not be questioned, etc. & etc.

Democrats, through shenanigans like Abrams is pulling, simply will not concede an election until
the Supreme Court of the US makes a final decision. In the meantime, a trove, of Democrat-leaning
provisional ballots, 1,811 to be exact, were discovered in Fulton County Georgia, that, if
believed, could yield results in her favor even though the “trove” is filled with duplicates, wrong
names and wrong signatures. 42% of those provisional ballots were in fact rejected.

Florida is another case in point. Three counties there, Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, are
officially deemed corrupt almost beyond repair. Post-election Florida faces a statewide recount
for both the Governor and Senate races. Protesters have assembled at the core site of the
storm raging over both races and that is the long suspected of election criminality, Broward
Election Supervisor, Brenda Snipes.

Snipes held a Press Conference and didn’t show up. Brenda Snipes, is a wicked elderly lady
with straight white hair, and dedicated to socialisms advancement. She reminds me of an
African version of Disney’s witch in ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ In any event, she has
a history of losing, misplacing or burning ballots if the outcome doesn’t agree with the needs of
the Democrat Party. Snipes’s lawyers was asked “how the voters of Florida can expect to have
any confidence in the integrity of the election process in Broward County when Brenda Snipes
“was found by a judge to have destroyed ballots in the race between Tin Canova and Debbie
Wasserman-Schultz?”

A follow up question was how to explain it was ‘transparent’ to have a woman who’s been found
to have destroyed ballots overseeing an election? Those ballots, it was claimed, had been
counted and weren’t relevant to this election. Brenda Snipes has a well documented history of
destroying ballots and breaking the law, yet, she remains in her sincere, rising from the swamp
muck every two or four years to ensure her party’s victory.

A reckoning has to come. Republicans are starting to fight back, for what little good it might do if
the system is rigged, but it’s a start. The fascists are on the move. What’s next, more violence?
Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get’m! (12Nov18)

Kemp defeats Cagle for Republican nomination

Election, Election 2018

Blue Ridge, Ga. – After a heated runoff race, the results are in and Georgia’s Secretary of State Brian Kemp has beat out opponent Lt. Governor Casey Cagle for the Republican nomination.

What was polled as a tight race between the two candidates ended up being what some would consider a landslide victory for Kemp. Kemp received 69.46 percent of the vote statewide with Cagle pulling in 30.54 percent.

Kemp will now face the Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams for the seat of Georgia Governor.

Abrams and Kemp are not strangers, as they have gone head to head over election issues while Kemp has served as Secretary of State.

“All of these liberal groups that are going to be in play in Georgia supporting her (Abrams), I’ve fought,” Kemp said about his past experiences with Abrams.

Citing that he has already faced George Soros, Eric Holder, Thomas Perez, Common Cause Georgia and New Georgia Project, Kemp is confident that he can beat them again.

Kemp explained where some of these groups came into conflict with the Secretary of State office, “They sued us and several counties saying that we weren’t registering voters, 10 different counts. Then they wanted us to settle. I wouldn’t do it. I made them go to court and we won all 10 cases.”

“I know what’s coming,” Kemp said about his preparation for proceeding in the gubernatorial race. “I know how to fight.”

Tomorrow’s Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary run-off

Opinion

Reposted with permission from the Dustin Inman Society blog

Atlanta, Georgia, President of the United States, POTUS, Donald Trump, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle (left) and Secretary of State Brian Kemp (Right)

 

D.A. KING

While the liberal media ignores the fact, both candidates in the bruising two-month Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary race have avoided immigration issues where the eventual governor can make the biggest difference.

With run-off day looming tomorrow, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp have mostly kept their immigration focus away from topics that may offend the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and narrowed to “sanctuary cities” and on illegal aliens who have already committed additional crimes in the United States – or “criminal illegal aliens.”

The main driver of illegal immigration is illegal employment, which was not mentioned in either campaign.
In addition to black market labor, they are also both dodging obvious and voter-popular immigration issues where a governor can play a central role, including drivers licenses to illegal aliens and official English for government.

No mention of protecting jobs for American workers
When asked in a statewide December 2015 poll, “Who should get the future jobs in Georgia? – Americans, including legal immigrants already here, illegal immigrants already here, newly arrived legal immigrants and guest workers or it doesn’t matter, workers who will work for the lowest wage.” A whopping 90% of Republicans said Americans, including legal immigrants already here should get priority.

Silence on allowing voters to decide on constitutional official English
Nearly 86% of Republicans – and 76% of all voters polled – answered “yes” when asked “would you support an amendment to the Georgia constitution that makes English the official language of government?” in the same poll conducted by Atlanta-based Rosetta Stone Communications

Despite the objections of the business lobby and with a unanimous party-line vote, in 2016, the Republican-controlled Georgia state senate passed a Resolution that would have allowed all Georgia voters to answer a ballot question that year on English as the state’s constitutional official government language.

But the legislation quietly died with Democrat “no” votes when Republican House leadership instructed Republicans to stay away from a sub-committee hearing which killed the bill.

Official English is not a voluntary campaign topic for either of the Republican candidates for Georgia governor. This despite one metro-Atlanta school district boast that 140 foreign languages are spoken by its students.

While it is not widely understood by voters, currently, the state of ten million offers the written road rules portion of the drivers license exam in eleven foreign languages.

Drivers licenses for illegal aliens – not a campaign issue
The same statewide poll that asked about official constitutional official English showed that 80% of Republicans and 63% of all Georgians also want to end the practice of giving any drivers license to any illegal aliens.

Many voters are unaware of the fact that Republican Georgia has issued more than 20,000 drivers licenses and official state photo ID Cards to individuals who the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services classifies as lacking lawful immigration status – but who have been given work permits by both the Obama and Trump administrations.

This group of aliens includes recipients of the Obama DACA deferred action on deportation amnesty, aliens who have been granted deferred action outside of the DACA amnesty and aliens who have already been ordered to be deported by federal officials.

Work permits, officially known as Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) are issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services which is an agency in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The 2005 REAL ID Act implemented after the horror of 9/11 says that illegal aliens who have been granted deferred action on deportation or who have been ordered deported but then apply for permanent residence use that temporary condition as “evidence of lawful status” for the purpose of obtaining a federally approved drivers license or state ID card.

⦁ In a direct contradiction, USCIS says  “Current law does not grant any legal status for the class of individuals who are current recipients of DACA. Recipients of DACA are currently unlawfully present in the U.S. with their removal deferred.”

⦁ Through an official spokesperson, USCIS has provided a breakdown of the classification codes contained on the work permits that illustrate the immigration status of the bearer.

⦁ USCIS also operates the SAVE verification system for official agencies to determine immigration status of applicants for public benefits. Drivers licenses and ID cards are public benefits in Georgia.

⦁ Appointed by current governor, Nathan Deal, Georgia’s Attorney General, Chris Carr, has told an Atlanta NPR affiliate that “We have continuously and clearly taken the position in ongoing legal cases that DACA does not confer legal status.” (July 17, 2017 WABE News).

Georgia is among the states that issues the identical drivers license to legal immigrants with ‘green cards’ and foreigners who entered the US lawfully on temporary visas – including Mercedes Benz executives – as are issued to the aliens the state Attorney General and USCIS says lack legal status. The defacto national ID, these credentials are used as valid ID to enter military bases, federal buildings and board airliners in America’s airports.

Atlanta, Georgia, President of the United States, POTUS, Donald Trump, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Drivers license issued to all non-citizens in Georgia, legal status or illegal status. Photo: DDS

Sponsored by conservative state Senator Josh McKoon, in 2016, legislation passed the Georgia Senate by a two-thirds majority – with every Republican vote except one – that would have clearly marked driving and ID credentials to note the illegal immigration status of the bearer. That measure was allowed to expire without a hearing in the GOP House, controlled by business-oriented Speaker David Ralston. McKoon also sponsored the official English Resolution.

Most Georgians do not realize that under state law the same aliens USCIS says have no lawful status but have been issued a work permit are eligible for state unemployment benefits.

The jobs-for Americans, drivers license/illegal alien/unemployment benefits issue is not a topic in either Republican candidate’s campaign for the Republican nomination for Georgia governor.

Georgians deserve to now where the candidates stand.

The powerful Georgia business lobby has long worked against protecting jobs and wages for legal workers, use of E-Verify, immigration enforcement and official English. Georgia ranks ahead of Arizona in its population of illegal aliens, according to estimates from DHS and the Pew Research Center. One estimate is that the crime of illegal immigration costs Georgia taxpayers $2.4 billion annually.

The current governor, two-term, business-first Republican Nathan Deal, has avoided the illegal immigration issue since his first year in office. But, Deal boasts that Georgia is named number one state in which to do business by Site Selection magazine.

The influx of migrants and the anti-enforcement power of the business lobby will eventually result in a Democrat in the Georgia governor’s office. This year’s far-left, anti-enforcement candidate for the office, Stacey Abrams, has a real chance of winning and has recently received a one million-dollar donation from Georgia Soros.

Raffensperger wins nomination for Secretary of State

Election, Election 2018

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Brad Raffensperger has defeated David Belle Isle in the July Runoff Election.

Raffensperger and Belle Isle vied for the Republican nomination to seek the seat of Georgia Secretary of State. The Secretary of State seat is open with no incumbent as current Secretary of State Brian Kemp moves forward in the gubernatorial race.

With all 159 counties reporting, Raffensperger was able to receive 61.76 percent of the vote while Belle Isle fell short only receiving 38.24 percent.

Raffensperger will move forward to the November General Election where he will face Democratic nominee John Barrow.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Kemp trumps Cagle : I see your Governor and I raise you a President

Election 2018, Politics

Blue Ridge, Ga. – What has come down to a battle of endorsements over the last two weeks has played out with some big name backers. Secretary of State Brian Kemp landed perhaps the largest endorsement of all as President Donald Trump tweeted out his support of the Georgia gubernatorial hopeful.

Kemp’s campaign announced recently the backing of several Republican opponents from the May Primary. Among those to officially announce their support were Michael Williams, Clay Tippins, and Hunter Hill.

Opponent in the gubernatorial runoff, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, was unable to receive any backing from Republican challengers that were faced earlier this year.

Cagle did however land some big name endorsements recently as he continues his campaign. While holding the title of the only Georgia candidate in the governor’s race to be backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), Cagle drove this message home as the President Elect of the NRA, retired Lt. Colonel Oliver North, hit the trail with Cagle to show his personal support of the candidate.

Cagle’s big name endorsements didn’t stop there. Earlier this week current Georgia Governor Nathan Deal also personally endorsed Cagle to be his replacement.

Although it seemed that the cards had become stacked in Cagle’s favor, Kemp showed his final hand and delivered a fourth ace by officially getting an endorsement from the President of the United States Donald Trump.

With less than a week left in the runoff, it seems that Cagle will be unable to top Kemp’s latest move.
Atlanta, Georgia, President of the United States, POTUS, Donald Trump, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Follow FetchYourNews for the latest election information and Cagle’s thoughts on Kemp’s latest round of endorsements.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Cagle campaign brings out the big guns

Election 2018, Politics
Hall County, Gainesville, Georgia, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Lt. Colonel Oliver North was met by large crowds as he hit the campaign trail supporting Casey Cagle in becoming Georgia’s next Governor.

Gainesville, Ga. – “There’s only one candidate who’s been endorsed. There’s only one candidate for Governor’s office who actually meets the standard of what we need and that’s Casey Cagle,” retired Lt. Colonel Oliver North enthusiastically spoke to the large crowd gathered in Gainesville, Ga. this weekend.

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle has been the center of controversy for several weeks after the release of a secret recording in which Cagle speaks candidly to former gubernatorial candidate Clay Tippins about politics over policy.

Regardless of this recent smear on Cagle’s bid to be Georgia’s next Governor, one fact remains and cannot be disputed, Cagle is the only candidate for governor in Ga. to receive the coveted endorsement from the National Rifle Association (NRA).

With this point being perhaps one of the largest differences between Cagle and his opponent, Brian Kemp, Cagle’s campaign decided it was time to bring out the “big guns”.

President elect of the NRA, North, hit the campaign trail with Cagle on July 14 making three stops across the state to share with constituents why Cagle is the only candidate that will uphold the values of the NRA.

“I’m here because there is only one candidate for governor who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association,” North said explaining his stance on Georgia’s heated gubernatorial race.

According to North, Cagle has “sterling record as supporter of the Second Amendment”. North went on to say that Cagle “is going to make sure that your gun rights and others are going to be defended when he’s in office as your Governor.”

Doting on Cagle’s record of fighting for the rights of gun owners in Ga., North also brought attention to Cagle’s support of firearms manufacturing and the jobs that have created in this field.

“He’s created the best, pushed through the best legislation, I think, in the country for giving you the right to defend yourselves,” North was met with cheers from the large crowd as he presented Cagle’s record on the Second Amendment.

North added, “I’m just reassured by what he’s already done, and what he’s committed to do.”

Constituents also got a peek into the private life of North as he shared personal stories of how the fight to defend the Second Amendment hits close to home threatening a long standing family tradition.

Hall County, Gainesville, Georgia, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Casey Cagle with wife Nita stand beside North as he addresses the crowd.

North, grandfather to 17 grandchildren, shared this tradition, “I get to give them a present. The only present I get to give them. Everything else comes from Betsy (wife) and me.”

This present given by North when each child turns 14 is a box containing three items, a Bible, a map and compass, and a 20 gauge shotgun.

North labels each box with “There are three things in this box that you have got to learn how to use, and if you do learn to use all three things, you’ll never go hungry, you’ll never be lost and you need fear nothing, but you have to learn to use all three.”

Each child is then told to read Proverbs, one Proverb per day for a month. After this task is completed and understood, North teaches the children how to use the compass and map. The final item that the child can then master is the use of the shotgun.

North told of how each child must learn to take apart, put together and clean the firearm before they can tackle the task of learning to shoot.

A bonding experience for a grandfather and a grandchild, one which his family holds dear, North joked, “The kids call me by my first name…Colonel.”

But according to North this tradition is threatened and he pointed to the fact that a couple of states have already passed laws where it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess or purchase a firearm.

Speaking of Virginia, the Lt. Colonel’s current state of residence, North said, “If that happens in Virginia, you know where I’m moving? I’m moving right here.”

North concluded his endorsement with a request, “I want each one of you, if you would please, go out and find a family member and a co-worker and a neighbor and a friend. So now you’re talking four of each one that you know that’s not here today and get them to the polls on the 24th of July so that this man….”.

Upon saying this North turned to Cagle and was drowned out by cheers from the audience.

Cagle briefly shared his thoughts on North’s personal endorsement: “I just value, not only what he has done in his life but also what he is doing by standing up for the Second Amendment.”

Referring to North as a good friend and speaking of the encouragement that North has given him, Cagle simply added, “This man is a real patriot.”

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Murray County and state election results 2018

Election 2018, News

CHATSWORTH, Ga. – *These election results are unofficial until being certified by the Georgia secretary of state’s office.

2018 Murray County Primary Election Results

Chief Magistrate Judge (non-partisan):

Connie Reed –                             100.00%             2,019 votes

 

Board of Education District 5:

Mitch Wilson (R) –                    100.00%              1,502 votes

 

Board of Education District 6:

Heath Jones (R) –                       67.46%               1,385 votes

Celeste Bargeron (R) –               32.54%                 668 votes

 

Board of Education District 7:

Kelli Reed (R) –                        100.00%               1,553 votes

 

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST):

Yes:                                              67.08%               1,689 votes

No:                                               32.92%                  829 votes

 

Georgia House of Representatives District 5

John Meadows (R) –           100.00%                2,596 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                                 100.00%               2,400 votes

Murray:                                  100.00%                   196 votes

Brian Rosser (D) –               100.00%                   504 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                                100.00%                    485 votes

Murray:                                 100.00%                      19 votes

 

Georgia House of Representatives District 6

Jason Ridley (R) –             100.00%                 2,090 votes

Results by county:

Murray:                                100.00%                    726 votes

Whitfield:                             100.00%                1,364 votes

 

Georgia House of Representatives District 11

Rick Jasperse (R) –          100.00%                  4,865 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                             100.00%                      513 votes

Murray:                             100.00%                       721 votes

Pickens:                            100.00%                    3,631 votes

Lee A. Shiver (D) –          100.00%                       673 votes

Results by county:

Gordon:                           100.00%                          77 votes

Murray:                            100.00%                       123 votes

Pickens:                            100.00%                      473 votes

 

2018 Georgia Primary Election Results 

CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR:

Casey Cagle (R) –                         39.01%                      236,479 votes

Eddie Hayes (R)  –

Hunter Hill (R) –                         18.34%                        111,199 votes

Brian Kemp (R) –                        25.55%                       154,894 votes

Clay Tippins (R) –                       12.22%                         74,047 votes

Marc Urbach (R) –

Michael Williams (R) –                4.87%                         29,542 votes

Stacey Abrams (D) –                   76.44%                      422,509 votes

Stacey Evans (D) –                      23.56%                       130,241 votes

 

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATES:

Geoff Duncan (R) –                     26.65%                      145,849 votes

Rick Jeffares (R) –                      24.44%                       133,758 votes

David Shafer (R) –                      48.91%                       267,684 votes

Sarah Riggs Amico (D) –           55.28%                        277,675 votes

Triana Arnold James (D) –        44.72%                      224,638 votes

 

SECRETARY OF STATE CANDIDATES:

David Belle Isle (R) –                28.53%                        150,973 votes

Buzz Brockway (R) –                 15.35%                          81,251 votes

Josh McKoon (R) –                    21.14%                        111,881 votes

Brad Raffensperger (R) –         34.98%                     185,087 votes            

John Barrow (D) –                     51.52%                     263,958 votes

Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D) –      29.51%                      151,224 votes

R.J. Hadley (D) –                        18.97%                       97,194 votes

Smythe Duval (I) –

 

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES:

Jim Beck (R) –                           59.69%                    313,184 votes

Jay Florence (R) –                    20.89%                    109,629 votes

Tracy Jordan (R) –                    19.42%                    101,876 votes

Janice Laws (D) –                     62.84%                    302,119 votes

Cindy Zeldin (D) –                    37.16%                     178,677 votes

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES:

District 3 – 

Chuck Eaton (R) –                100.00%                   470,258 votes

Lindy Miller (D)  –                  65.46%                    311,286 votes              

John Noel (D)  –                      18.92%                      89,955 votes

Johnny White (D)  –               15.62%                       74,263 votes

District 5 – 

John Hitchins III (R)  –         46.96%                    247,460 votes

Tricia Pridemore (R)  –          53.04%                    279,510 votes

Dawn Randolph (D) –            78.59%                    365,189 votes

Doug Stoner (D) –                   21.41%                      99,509 votes

 

Author

Jason Beck

Born in Merrillville, Indiana, raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, and currently resides in Copperhill, Tennessee. Graduated from Bradley Central High School in 1996 and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, eventually earning a B.A. and M.A. in English. Hobbies include hiking, camping and fly-fishing. Interests include baseball, hockey and cliff jumping.

Duncan wins tightest race in July Runoff

Election, Election 2018

Blue Ridge, Ga. – Geoff Duncan narrowly beats out David Shafer in the July Runoff Election.

In what was by far the closest race to take place during the runoff, Duncan beat out Shaffer by a mere 1672 votes. In some precincts across the state this race showed wins by a margin of only 2 votes.

Duncan and Shafer vied for the Republican nomination to seek the seat of Georgia Lt. Governor. The Lt. Governor seat is open with no incumbent as current Lt. Governor Casey Cagle chose to throw his name in the hat for the Republican nomination in the gubernatorial race.

With all 159 counties reporting, Duncan was able to receive 50.15 percent of the vote while Shafer fell short receiving 49.85 percent.

Duncan will move forward to the November General Election where he will face Democratic nominee Sarah Riggs Amico.

State Republicans will now move to a July Runoff

Election 2018, Politics
Georgia, May Primary Election 2018, General Election 2018, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Sarah Riggs Amico, Triana Arnold James, David Shafer, Geoff Duncan, Stacey Abrams, Stacey Evans, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, David Belle Isle, Brad Raffensperger, John Barrow, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Rakeim Hadley, Democrat, Republican, General Primary Runoff, July 2018

Front-runner Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle will face Secretary of State Brian Kemp in General Primary Runoff.

BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The Georgia Gubernatorial Race has heated up as Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will now face Secretary of State Brian Kemp in the July General Primary Runoff.

Cagle and Kemp emerged as front runners in the General Primary, with Cagle showing a slight edge over Kemp by receiving 39 percent of the votes (227,170 total votes). Kemp was not far behind having received 26 percent or 150,051 total votes.

The two candidates will move forward in a 9 week runoff and the winner of this race will move on to face Democrat Stacey Abrams in the Nov. General Election.

Abrams won, receiving 76 percent of the votes (373,829 total votes), over fellow democratic party candidate Stacey Evans.

While a Republican runoff was anticipated in the Georgia Gubernatorial race, other state elections saw similar fates.

Georgia Lieutenant Governor front-runner David Shafer fell shy of a clear win. Shafer pulled in a majority of the votes, 256,230 in total, but this was not enough to avoid a runoff. With Shafer only claiming 49%, he will now face Geoff Duncan in July.

Georgia, May Primary Election 2018, General Election 2018, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Sarah Riggs Amico, Triana Arnold James, David Shafer, Geoff Duncan, Stacey Abrams, Stacey Evans, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, David Belle Isle, Brad Raffensperger, John Barrow, Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Rakeim Hadley, Democrat, Republican, General Primary Runoff, July 2018

Shafer took a commanding number of votes, but was just shy of a clean win, and will now face Duncan in July.

Duncan came in a distant second to Shafer receiving 27 percent of the votes (140,741 total votes).

The winner of this runoff will face Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico in the Nov. General Election. Amico pulled in 56 percent of the votes (245,325 total votes) defeating opponent Triana James who received 44 percent.

Campaigns have not ended for Brad Raffensperger or David Belle Isle as they will also face off for in the General Primary Runoff for Georgia Secretary of State.

Raffensperger received 35 percent of the votes (178,502 total votes), moving him into top position. Belle Isle, however, was not far behind having received 29 percent or 145,915 total votes.

Democrat John Barrow will face the winner of this runoff in the Nov. General Election. Barrow was able to make a clean win with 52 percent over challengers Dee Dawkins-Haigler and Rakeim Hadley.

The General Primary Runoff will take place July 24, 2018.

 

 

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Jones takes Board of Education seat, sales tax passes

Election 2018, News

CHATSWORTH, Ga. – Heath Jones defeated Celeste Bargeron to win the Murray County Board of Education (BOE) District 6 seat and the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax passed in Tuesday’s primary election.

In the Republican primary Tuesday, incumbent Heath Jones took 1,385 votes and 67.46 percent to overcome Bargeron, who received 668 votes and 32.54 percent. No candidates Democratic candidates qualified to face Jones in the November general election; therefore, Jones will retain his seat on the board.

The BOE District 5 race saw Mitchell Wilson run uncontested in the Republican primary, receiving a total of 1,502 votes. Wilson is also unopposed in general election and will assume the District 5 seat on the board.

In BOE District 7, Republican incumbent Kelli Reed was also unopposed in the primary and will be unopposed in the general election. Reed took 1,553 total votes and will retain her seat on the board.

In the chief magistrate judge’s non-partisan race, Connie Reed was unopposed and garnered 2,019 total votes.

The county referendum to continue the 1 percent SPLOST for another six years was approved by voters. The referendum took in 1,689 yes votes (67.08 percent) and 829 no votes (32.92 percent). The new SPLOST will take effect Jan. 1, 2019.

In the state Senate District 54 race, Republican incumbent Chuck Payne edged out challenger J. Scott Tidwell with 5,012 total votes (52.87 percent) to Tidwell’s 4,467 (47.13 percent). Payne will move on to the November general election to face Democrat Michael S. Morgan, who was unopposed in the primary and received 1,565 total votes.

In the three state House of Representatives’ races, no candidate ran opposed in his respective party primary. In District 5, which encompasses portions of Murray and Gordon counties, Republican incumbent John Meadows received 2,596 district-wide votes while Brian Rosser took in 504 total votes in the Democratic primary. Meadows and Rosser will meet in November in the general election.

In state House District 6, which includes north Murray County and a portion of Whitfield County, Republican incumbent Jason Ridley ran unopposed in the primary and will run unopposed in the general election. Ridley received 2,090 total district votes.

The race for state House District 11, which includes portions of Murray, Gordon, and Pickens counties, Republican incumbent Rick Jasperse and Democrat Lee A. Shiver both ran unopposed in their parties’ respective primaries. Jasperse received a total of 4,865 votes across the district while Shiver took 673 total votes. Jasperse and Shiver will meet in the November general election.

In state-level races, runoff elections will be required to determine the Republican winners of the gubernatorial race, the race for lieutenant governor, and the race for secretary of state.

For governor, current Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will face current Secretary of State Brian Kemp in a runoff election July 24. Cagle took 39.01 percent of the statewide votes to Kemp’s 25.55 percent. The winner of this runoff will move on to face state Representative Stacey Abrams, who handily defeated fellow state Representative Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary. Abrams garnered 76.44 percent of the statewide Democratic votes to Evans’ 23.56 percent.

In the lieutenant governor’s election David Shafer will face Geoff Duncan in the July runoff for the Republican nomination. Shafer won 48.91 percent of the Republican votes statewide while Duncan received 26.65 percent. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic primary winner Sarah Riggs Amico in November.

The secretary of state’s race will also be decided in the July 24 runoff as Republicans Brad Raffensperger and David Belle Isle will meet for their’s party nod. Raffensperger took 34.98 percent of the Republican votes while Belle Isle took in 28.53 percent. The winner will face Democrat John Barrow in the fall general election.

In the county’s only federal election, the U.S. House of Representatives District 14 race featured Republican incumbent Tom Graves and Democrat Steven Lamar Foster both running unopposed in their parties’ respective primaries. Graves took a total of 38,235 Republican votes in the district while Foster received 10,611 votes in the Democratic primary. Graves and Foster will meet in the general election in November.

Author

Jason Beck

Born in Merrillville, Indiana, raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, and currently resides in Copperhill, Tennessee. Graduated from Bradley Central High School in 1996 and attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, eventually earning a B.A. and M.A. in English. Hobbies include hiking, camping and fly-fishing. Interests include baseball, hockey and cliff jumping.

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