The Party Comes First. Rural Georgia Comes Last

Take a drive through rural Georgia and you’ll see the truth our politicians hope you’re too polite to say: we’ve been neglected, ignored, and flat‑out taken for granted.

The backroads tell the story.  

Not the campaign mailers.  

Not the stump speeches.  

Not the party talking points.

The actual Georgia, the one outside the metro glow  is full of shuttered hospitals, dying downtowns, underfunded schools, and communities surviving on grit because their elected officials sure aren’t fighting for them.

And here’s the part folks don’t like to say out loud:  

Most of the people representing rural Georgia come from one party, and they’ve been coasting on loyalty instead of delivering results.

For years, rural voters showed up.  

They voted the same way.  

They trusted the same names.  

They believed the promises.

But loyalty without accountability turns into exploitation.  

And that’s exactly what’s happened.

At some point, rural Georgians are going to have to look in the mirror and ask the question that’s been hanging in the air for a decade:

Do these representatives and state senators actually give a damn about us or are they just protecting their party and their seat?

Because the evidence is sitting right in front of us:

- Hospitals closed while lawmakers argued about everything except healthcare.  

- Broadband “expansion” that somehow never reaches the dirt roads where people actually live.  

- Farmers squeezed while politicians pose for photos in fields they don’t understand.  

- Schools scraping by while the legislature pats itself on the back for “record budgets.”  

- Local communities losing control to decisions made by people who don’t know the first thing about them.

That’s not representation.  

That’s abandonment dressed up as leadership.

And rural Georgians aren’t stupid.  

They see it.  

They feel it.  

They live with the consequences every single day.

The coming‑to‑Jesus moment is unavoidable now.  

Not partisan.  

Not ideological.  

Just real.

Who is actually fighting for rural Georgia and who is hiding behind a party label while our communities fall apart?

When rural voters start demanding answers to that question and stop rewarding politicians who treat them like a guaranteed vote

the entire political landscape of this state will shift.

And maybe then, rural Georgia will finally get the respect, investment, and representation it’s been owed for far too long.

Which Democratic Duo have that November 2026 Appeal?

Let’s play this out strategically—because this isn’t just a game, it’s a messaging exercise with real implications for coalition-building, turnout, and narrative control.

Brown & Thurmond

Ticket 1: Michael Thurmond – LeMario Brown

- Appeal: This ticket screams competence meets community. Thurmond brings deep experience, historical resonance, and credibility with Black voters, labor, and education advocates. Pairing him with LeMario Brown adds youthful energy, rural reach, and a fresh voice for working-class Georgians.

- Resonance: Strong with Black voters, union households, educators, and pragmatic progressives. It’s a ticket that feels earned, not manufactured. It could also peel off moderate independents who respect Thurmond’s record.

Ticket 2: Geoff Duncan – LeMario Brown

Duncan & Brown

- Appeal: This is your unity narrative. Duncan offers a post-Trump Republican brand—business-friendly, anti-extremist, and palatable to suburban voters. LeMario balances the ticket with grassroots credibility and a bridge to rural and Black communities.

- Resonance: Could attract disaffected Republicans, independents, and moderate Democrats. It’s a coalition ticket that says, “We’re done with chaos. Let’s govern.”

Strategic Take:

- Thurmond–Brown is the values-driven ticket—ideal for energizing the base and reclaiming rural Black voters.

- Duncan–Brown is the coalition ticket—ideal for flipping suburban moderates and sending a message of bipartisan sanity.

Thurmond–Brown builds durable infrastructure while Duncan–Brown might be the shockwave that resets the board. Also let's not forget, Brown is also a serious candidate for Georgia Agriculture Commissioner as well.

Keisha Lance Bottoms – Josh McLaurin

- Appeal: Urban executive meets suburban legal mind. Keisha brings national name ID, executive experience, and strong ties to Black voters and women. McLaurin adds credibility with moderates, legal chops, and suburban reach.

- Resonance: Strong in metro Atlanta, with potential to energize Black women, urban progressives, and swing suburban voters. But Keisha’s national profile may polarize some rural or moderate voters unless paired with strong economic messaging.

Ticket 3: Jason Esteves – LeMario Brown

- Appeal: Youthful, forward-looking, coalition-building. Esteves brings education and Latino outreach; LeMario brings rural credibility, union resonance, and Black working-class appeal.

- Resonance: This is a next-gen ticket—ideal for energizing younger voters, rural Black communities, and multicultural coalitions. It’s fresh but may need more gravitas to reassure older or institutional voters.

Ticket 4: Derrick Jackson – Josh McLaurin

- Appeal: Legislative experience meets legal reformer. Jackson brings union ties and rural reach; McLaurin adds suburban polish and legal credibility.

- Resonance: Solid with working-class voters, union households, and suburban moderates. It’s pragmatic but may lack the star power or emotional spark needed to drive turnout in a high-stakes general.

 Ticket 5: Michael Thurmond – J.B. Powell

- Appeal Legacy meets rural roots. Thurmond is a respected elder statesman with deep ties to education, labor, and Black voters. Powell brings rural Georgia credibility and crossover appeal.

- Resonance: This is the stability ticket—ideal for older voters, union households, and rural Democrats. It’s dignified, experienced, and could quietly rebuild trust in forgotten counties.

Ticket 6; Geoff Duncan – Sonya Halpern

Appeal: This is a coalition ticket that says: “We’re done with chaos. Let’s govern.” Duncan brings a business-minded, anti-Trump Republican brand that appeals to suburban moderates and independents. Halpern adds cultural fluency, legislative experience, and deep ties to Atlanta’s civic and arts communities.

Resonance:

- Suburban moderates: Duncan’s rejection of extremism and focus on economic stability plays well here.

- Black women and urban voters: Halpern’s presence signals respect, representation, and cultural investment.

- Business and civic leaders: This ticket feels like a return to sanity—governance over grievance.

Potential Strengths:

- Bridges the urban–suburban divide.

- Signals competence, calm, and coalition-building.

- Could peel off disaffected Republicans and energize pragmatic Democrats.

Challenges:

- May need stronger rural messaging and labor credibility to reach working-class voters.

- Could be seen as elite or institutional unless paired with bread-and-butter economic messaging.

Strategic Take:

This ticket is built for general election viability, especially in a Georgia that’s tired of whiplash politics. It’s not flashy—it’s functional. If paired with a strong economic justice platform and rural outreach, it could be a sleeper powerhouse.

To sum it all up:

- Most Appealing to Energize the Base: Bottoms–McLaurin or Esteves–Brown  

  Urban, youth, multicultural, progressive energy.

- Most Appealing to Flip Moderates/Suburbs: Jackson–McLaurin or Duncam-Halpern  

  Legal reform, legislative pragmatism, suburban reach.

- Most Appealing to Rebuild Rural Trust: Thurmond–Powell or Duncan or Brown or Thurmond-Brown

  Legacy, labor, rural dignity, and quiet power.

Turnout + coalition-building, Duncan-Brown, however Esteves–Brown might be the sleeper hit.  

Stability + rural repair, Thurmond–Powell is the quiet powerhouse.  

Suburban swing + national signal, Bottoms–McLaurin brings the heat.

James E. "Jimmy" Carter Died Sunday at 100. (1924-2024)

Jimmy Carter passed away yesterday at 3:45 p.m. in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. He was 100 years old. His impact on politics and human rights will endure forever. He was a man of the Georgia red clay. Born in 1924 in Plains, Georgia, which is  minutes from my hometown of Oglethorpe, Carter grew up during Great Depression, under the reign of Georgia's infamous Governor Eugene Talmadge and Jim Crow. He graduated from Plains High School and in 1941, enrolled Georgia Southwestern State University. He later Georgia Tech before embarking on a promising career in the U.S. Navy.

In1953, following the death of his father, James Earl Carter, Sr., Carter retired from the Navy and returned to Plains to take over the family farm. Two years later, he ran for his first office, the Sumter County Board of Education. As a graduate of Annapolis, and with the broadening experience of a naval career, Carter was among the more open-minded white rural Southerners of his generation. refused to join the Citizens’ Council of Sumter County during that time.

In 1962, Carter ran for the Georgia State Senate against Homer Moore from Stewart County. Carter explained in "Turning" that in 1962, under pressure from the federal courts, each of the state 54 senate districts was redrawn and apportioned more equally in terms of population by the General Assembly, and election outcomes would be decided exclusively by winning a.
majority of the popular vote. Carter said this made a senate run “attractive” to political newcomers like himself.

Another key reason he ran for senate was a graduation speech he gave (likely in 1964) at Union High School in.which it had to do with his first political in July 1961 when he was the chairman of the Sumter County school board. At the time, led the pro-consolidation campaign in the countywide referendum.

After bypassing a run for Congress, he ran for Governor instead. He finished behind eventual winner Democrat Lester Maddox, Republican Bo Callaway, and former Governor Ellis Arnall, who ran as an independent.

In 1970, he ran again, this time against former popular Governor Carl Sanders Although he was victorious against Sanders, the primary was remembered for what was perceived as a race-baiting campaign against Carl Sanders.

Then in 1974, Carter announced he would run for President, in which he defeated Gerald Ford in the General Election. Carter's first term was mixed, dominated by inflation and an spiraling economy that he inherited from Gerald Ford and in addition the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979. Some of successes were the creation the Department of Education and the 1978 Camp David Accords.

At the same that Carter to come to grips with international, he had to grapple with domestic ones passed on to him Ford. Unemployment, inflation, and the crisis the list. To the economy and supply more jobs, Carter in1978 proposed $23 billion to $30 billion program for the next eighteen. Although the program would increase spending on job-creating programs, it emphasized tax cuts to encourage businessmen to increase capital investments. Congress much of this economic stimulus package.

Before Congress acted and as economic growth accelerated and unemployment declined, Carter dropped a major feature of his economic program, tax rebate; shifted his attention to around 7 percent; strengthened his resistance to federal job programs and a higher level of spending on welfare spending price and wage controls, he several anti-inflation proposals and promised the budget by the end of term. Yet, when the economy slowed, about unemployment mounted, and he returned to plans for tax cuts.

He also pushed for alternative energy, installing solar panels atop of the White House, national healthcare, among other things. In 1980 he went on to lose to Ronald Reagan in the General Election.

Carter returned to Georgia in 1981 thus began one of the most successful post-presidencies in modern history, from Habitat for Humanity to promoting peace and human rights around the world. Carter was the first Southerner to win the White House since Zachary Taylor 1849. He bridged the old guard segregationist Democratic Party to the new Democratic Party during the 1970s. He was a man of deep religious faith, a true Southern gentleman, a statesman, and a perfect example of what a public servant should be. He loved rural America, hunting, fishing, watching Atlanta Braves baseball games, and he loved the Lord.

He was an everyman: a farmer, Navy veteran, graduate of Annapolis, and businessman. He cared for the poor and was ahead of his time. He related to Black voters and their plight. He lived in public housing after he and his wife Rosalynn returned to Plains following the death of his father, James E. Carter, Sr,

who was a State Representative in the Geo
rgia State House. He was close to Martin Luther King, Sr., but remarkably, he never met his son, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was very close to many veterans of the civil rights movement, including Andrew Young, former Atlanta mayor, Congressman and U.S. Ambassador, and Ralph Abernathy.

His rise to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was a remarkable feat. Although he and his Georgia team were treated horribly by D.C. insiders and the Northern press, did the best he could despite half the Democratic Party plotting to defeat him in 1980 before he could even warm his seat in the Oval Office.

We will never see another like Jimmy Carter in my lifetime. He left a lasting legacy that history will view more favorably. Job well done, Mr. President.

Finally, a Rural Democrat on a Presidential Ticket for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Kamala Harris and the Democrats did well to have Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on their national ticket as the vice-presidential nominee. He’s rural, for real. Walz has a broad appeal in the Upper Midwest battleground states, I expect that to trickle down to states like Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina and he is well-versed in the you-betcha vernacular. The blue brand can barely be peddled along the blacktops anymore, but somehow Walz figured out a way to win a congressional seat in a red district and ultimately the governorship.

Republicans will have a hard time defining the 24 Year Army National Guard Veteran as an out-of-control elite liberal. He is an expert marksman, claims he is a better pheasant shooter than his counterpart JD Vance, and suggests that vegetarians should eat turkey since it is not really meat. He hails from West Point, Nebraska and once got pulled over for drunk driving as a young schoolteacher and coach. (He pleaded down to reckless driving and gave up on drinking under his wife’s advice.)

Walz subscribes to the standard Democratic orthodoxy...... pro-choice, supports gay rights, believes in feeding children at school, champions a living wage and backs labor unions. He is no more liberal than the late Hubert Humphrey or Walter Mondale. Walz favors some gun controls, as Ronald Reagan did. He is, in fact, pretty much your White Midwestern dad dude who coached Mankato West High School to a state football title.

As governor, he made way for pipelines supported by union pipefitting members. 

He might even be able to get rural areas to sit up from its one-party stupor and listen. Walz’s politics of joy contrasts with his counterpart JD Vance politics of exclusion, snark and denial.

Trump has no clue what life is like in places like Swainsboro, Ga or Alamo, Ga or any small town in rural America. Unfortunately, his brand of politics of negativity, doom and gloom appeals to some voters in rural America. JD Vance got out of rural America at the first opportunity and only looked back to condemn his country cousins in a memoir. Rural America is more than resentful people in red caps. It’s Barnesville, Sandersville, Fort Gaines, Statenville, Nahunta, Irwinton,  and first-generation college students at Georgia Southwestern State University or Savannah State University.

Walz gets it. That could be a powerful antidote to the decline of political choice out here in the Lowcountry or Wiregrass regions of rural Georgia and throughout rural America. Rural communities struggling to survive needs an alternative, other than simply more tax cuts, bad roads and more grievance. Walz should use his voice while he can, because Humphrey or Mondale could have told him that nobody listens to the vice president much after November.

The Harris campaign will task Walz with campaigning in the Rustbelt States and Georgia, North Carolina, and maybe even Florida. Simply having a candidate on the national ticket who actually baled hay since (Jimmy Carter) under the Nebraska sun should buck us up. 

It's Charlie Bailey Time!

On Tuesday, voter will return to the polls to vote in a pair of runoff elections to determine who will go on to the General Election.

One such race is for Lt. Governor where Charlie Bailey who was a 2018 candidate for Attorney General will face off against Kwanza Hall, who is a former Atlanta City Councilman and Congressman.

Voters should vote for Charlie Bailey next Tuesday. He will be a strong fighter for Rural Georgia whether you live in Charlton County, Montgomery County, Polk County or Union County.

Charlie will first address the symptoms of a over regulated, over taxed economic base and it effect on the taxpayer. Second, he understands and respect that Rural Georgia is Georgia too! (He is a native of Harris County in Western Georgia). Third he will ensure no more rural hospitals will close and to finally spearheard much needed medicaid expansion to rural areas of our state that are in desperate need of healthcare services. And finally, he will address and try to come up with solutions to the three f's.... Fuel, Food, and Fertilizer. Our Farmers and Agriculture Industry rely tremendously on diesel a
nd fertilizer, and voters feel the pinch in their wallet and pocketbooks when go to the store or put gas in their vehicles.

Kwanza Hall, his opponent is a nice guy with many accomplishments and if he wins, I'd take a long look at supporting him, but right now Georgians need a Charlie Bailey as Lt. Governor to bring all parties together to continue to move Georgia forward.

Charlie has been endorsed by former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, former Governor Roy Barnes, Lt. Governor Mark Taylor, Congressman Hank Johnson.

Vote Charlie Bailey for Lt. Governor on Tuesday June 21.

Conservative Democrat Mike Ford awaits the winner of the Republican Primary for Ga-9th CD

Up in deeply conservative 9th Congressional District, Mike Ford, a Conservative Democrat is the lone democrat in the May 24th primary and awaits the winner of the GOP primary.

Ford, a native of Macon, Ga is a Vietnam War Veteran where he was awarded the Air Metal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service medal, the Vietnam Service medal and Republic of Vietnam Campaign medal.

He is also a member of the NRA, and the Georgia Sport Shooting Association.

He is a democrat in the mold of former 8th Congressional District Jim Marshall and Charles Jenkins who once represented the 9th Congressional District in the 80s and early 90s.

Ford is a retiring attorney who has practiced law at the State Court, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, etc.

For more on Mike Ford go to his website at https://mike4georgia.com/

Floyd Griffin, not Bee Nguyen can win in the General Election.

Over in Baldwin County, Retired Colonel, former State Senator and Mayor Floyd Griffin is one of only three Democrats who hail from outside of Metro Atlanta. Griffin is running to secure the Demoocratic nomination in hopes of becoming Georgia's next Secretary of State in a race that features Bee Nguyen who is the party's favorite, despite not having accomplished much during her time in the Legislature.

Right now according to a recent poll more than 60% of Democrats are undecided in the race in the race for Secretary of State.

Griffin joined the U.S. Army in 1967 and gradueted from the Army Command and General Staff College as well as the National War College.

This isn't Griffin first time running for a Statewide office. in 1998 he ran for Lt. Governor, losing to eventual winner Mark Taylor, who has endorsed Griffin's bid for Secretary of State. Before than, Griffin ran for the State Senate 25th District where he became the first black candidate to win a majority white district since reconstruction.

For Democrats, they need to focus on who can WIN in the General Election, not who can win solely in metro Atlanta. Right now Democrats in the metro Atlanta region refuse to look beyond their metro area base when it comes to supporting democratic candidates.Bee Nguyen is the Georgia Democratic Party's preferred favorite (even thought they pretend they don't endorse candidates in the General Election). She is also the favorite of left wing supporters and groups on the west and east coast and up north as well. But in a primary that will be dominated by black voters who make up more than 2/3rds of the primary vote, its very likely the democratic nominee will be a black candidate and it just might me Floyd Griffin or any other candidate in the race like Michael Owens or Dee Haigler.

It's Put Up Or Shut Up Time! Will Georgia Democrats Compete in Rural Areas, for Rural Legislative Seats in 2022?

I've always said that a Democratic vote in rural Mitchell, Marion, or Ware County counts just as much as a vote in suburban Cobb County. It’s important for Democrats to take stock of their efforts to turn out rural voters in the same way they assess their tactics in other areas of the Peach State. The party was successful last year because candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock expanded the map beyond the Metro Atlanta area and didn't take any votes for granted. Last year Democrats made significant inroads in small towns and rural areas down in central and south Georgia, and it’s crucial they keep up that effort going into the 2022 midterm elections.

Democrats have to stay competitive in rural areas of the state and that starts with recruiting a legitimate, strong candidate to take on incumbents like Austin Scott in GA-8, Buddy Carter in GA-1, Drew Ferguson in GA-3 as well as candidates for the state legislature. It’s clear that suburban and urban voters were a major driver of our victories, but they can’t forgo small towns and rural counties. If Democrats want to get things done in Atlanta and at the local level and mount a strong challenge for control of the Georgia General Assembly next year, they have to win outside of the suburbs.

Democrats can win these communities by showing up and passing policies that directly benefit rural Georgians. That’s why newly elected Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff spent the final week of his campaign on a tour through Southwest and Central Georgia. Popular Democratic priorities like Medicaid expansion, which helps fund rural hospitals and extending broadband infrastructure see some of their biggest benefits in rural communities, and it’s important that they keep working hard to support these policies.

It will be tempting for democrats to look at the results of last year’s elections and conclude that Democrats here need only win votes in suburban and urban areas to be successful. That would be a mistake. As the party has grown stronger over the past few years, they've expanded their presence across the Peach State. 

There have been a lot of great candidates that did not make it to the Gold Dome and me over the years like Marc Arnett of HD 138

Marc Arnett

who came up short of unseating Mike Cheokas, or Jack Lance who ran back in 2010 for HD 8 along with the endorsement of late Governor Zell Miller but I would not consider those campaigns to be losses. It will take time to flip some of these rural areas.

Jack Lance with Zell Miller

Democrats can absolutely be competitive in rural Georgia. They just have to get back to basics, and that will start with real conversations about community issues. I am a big advocate for localized messaging and community-based organizing. Democrats love to hire people who are out of state and expect them to know how to communicate in their new turf. That doesn’t work, especially not in rural Georgia. Rural Georgians can smell an out-of-towner from miles away. They need people who live there to have these conversations. Local people are experts in their communities and should be the ones to drive the conversation.

There are some people that will not be receptive to having a conversation because they disagree on wedge issues, and that’s fine. We are all entitled to our opinions. We all have limited time and resources. It is a much better use of time to talk with someone who is willing to have a productive conversation than someone who is committed to arguing.

 

 

Rebirth of the Bluedog Dems...Time to make a comeback!

For some time now it has bothered me how the tide has turned against the classic blue dog, Sam Nunn Democrats. The tide I describe isn’t a Republican tide, but rather a Progressive (liberal) tide that has overtaken the Democratic Party. 

A battle within the Democratic Party that by all accounts seems to leave Blue Dog Democrats in the dust and forgotten. Blue Dog Democrats are chastised, if not just blatantly ignored to benefit an extreme left wing, socialist, hyper oversensitive political correctness wave, called Progressives. Progressive leaders just don’t have any tolerance at all for fellow Democrats who are unwilling to subscribe to their brand and wing of the Democratic Party… and it shows.

Blue Dog Democrats are what I classify as Democrats who fight for the working person, fight for strong unions that put people to work. They love good businesses who create tax revenue, employ people and support them. They fought for civil rights and continue to do so. They understand that welfare is a hand up not a federal giveaway program to secure future voters. Sam Nunn Democrats are those who have traditionally fought against unfair business practices and are fiercely loyal proud Americans who bleed for the red, white and blue. Sam Nunn Democrats have proven to fight for Democracy around the world and are proud of their country and what we represent.

Progressives… well they have transformed the Democratic Party into a party that fights for the non-worker vs. the worker. They fight against business vs. supporting business. They fight for socialism and are staunch fighters against capitalism.  They fight for illegal immigration vs. supporting those who chose to abide by the law to obtain legal citizenship. 

So where has the Sam Nunn Democrat gone? I know they are still some among us here in the Peach State, but over the last few decades they have become the silent majority. A silent majority in the Democratic Party that has stood by and watched the minority Progressive wave slowly plant its roots. Silent, while at the same time willingly accepting unwarranted criticism and being cast aside by the vocal Progressive activists.

I can say that it is time for those of you who still believe in the Blue Dog branch of the party to get vocal and fight. Fight for your place in the party of Jefferson-Jackson

Embrace and recruit candidates that have shown the ability to lead and deliver results, who fit their district while proudly displaying their zeal to make local, state and federal government better. Look at what’s happening with the Republican Party.

Candidate Spotlight: Dylan Patrick (D-Cartersville)

The Democratic Nominee for GA House District 015 is Dylan L. Patrick. Dylan is a Georgia native who grew up his whole life in Bartow County. He is one of the youngest candidates running on the November ballot in North Georgia at 26 years old, but that isn’t stopping him from thinking for himself. Patrick is a self-funded conservative leaning candidate although he is a loyal Democrat, pointing out he has been helping reorganize the county’s local chapter since 2010.

Dylan Patrick

"I feel like one of the most effective things someone can do if they want to be conservative for the interests of the middle class is to run on the Democratic ballot locally and reject all special interests says Patrick".

"The Republican Party is run by the donations of large, monolithic corporations, if not monopolies themselves. They sometimes stay true to their pledge to find savings in government or cut taxes, but that saved money and those tax cuts always go back to their largest contributors instead of the people. The middle class today is shrinking. Georgia has the highest unemployment in the nation. The state continues to lose more private sector jobs. Republican leaders here are having major ethics problems that reflect negatively on possible new business investment. They are unable to adequately fund education, causing local tax hikes here in Bartow and across the state while state tax rates remain level.” Patrick has been working since he was 16 years old, starting at a local family owned restaurant where he worked up from waiter to cook, and eventually helped manage the establishment. Dylan subsequently started his own small business in mobile vending, operating on the streets of Rome and Cartersville where he says he came face to face with the effects of poverty. Dylan went to Woodland High School and attended Georgia Highlands College where he plans to finish obtaining a degree in political science after the campaign season".

He now runs his own business, Paper Industry Communications Inc., based out of White, Ga., as an independent contractor for the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) headquartered in Norcross. Patrick believes his work producing the association’s newsletters relating breaking news in private industry will allow him to better understand how to help Georgia’s forest industry in the legislature, including possibly looking into a plan for harvesting state bio-mass (wood waste) potential for use as an in-state alternative fuel (cellulosic ethanol) for government vehicles, a plan Patrick says could save the state considerable expenses in the long run at the same time it creates in-state jobs and helps sustain rural economies. Patrick advocates for broad-based tax reform as opposed to limited, special interest tax breaks he believes are prone to abuse and corruption by legislators passing our budget. He would like to see a law passed allowing vehicles valued under $8,000 to be exempted from the new up-to 9% up-front value tax by having the option to go back to using the much cheaper yearly system for older cars.

Patrick says it is a regressive tax hurting our state’s poor, those who struggle with transportation, as well as middle class owners who would otherwise be able to sell their automobile on a healthier private market. Dylan would also like to see the state additionally aid municipalities the amount equal to what they get from their local sales taxes on groceries. He points out that the majority of U.S. states have absolutely no state or local taxes on groceries and that this is another tax that hurts specifically middle income families who are not wealthy and who also do not qualify for federal aid programs for tax-free food.

Patrick vows to work towards refunding K-12 education to full QBE standards so as to avoid local counties having to raise tax millage rates to bail out their systems even in non-recession years. He points out the state GOP continued to defund education in the bull market years of 2005-2007 and says their argument about needing austerity is far from being about the national economy which is continuing to slowly improve. Dylan says if we continue to have economic expansion, or even successfully avoid another major contraction in the national markets anytime soon that could affect state revenues, we should work to re-fund HOPE grants for technical colleges and expand the HOPE scholarship closer to what it was when originally passed under Governor Zell Miller. He doesn’t believe the Republican Party in Georgia ever has a vision to do so, no matter how well the economy performs.

This is his first run for political office. Dylan Patrick would be a much needed fresh voice of independent reason in the state legislature representing Cartersville and southeast Bartow County.

Jason Carter heads to Plains for Fundraiser this weekend

Jason Carter who is running for governor will be in Plains, Ga this weekend for a fundraiser hosted by his grandfather, former Georgia Governor & President James E. "Jimmy" Carter.

2014: Carter, Beckum, Irvin and the Pursuit for Rural Georgia Vote

Jason Carter with supporters

Voters in rural areas of Georgia tend to be older than the electorate as a whole and they tend to be of more moderate means. Additionally, older voters tend to vote in higher numbers in midterm elections.

Democrats running this year in Georgia have to be very comfortable in talking about the values they share with other small town Georgia

residents. They have to be very comfortable in believing in God and that they go to church like everybody else does. Issues ranging from Social Security to medicaid to agriculture to economic fairness (which resonates in rural communities and put republicans on defense) are issues that are  well received in rural parts of the state.

 Chris Irvin at Vidalia Onion Festival, Toombs Co

Dems such as Ag Commissioner candidate Christopher Irvin (D-Toccoa), Secretary of State candidate Gerald Beckum (D-Oglethorpe) & Jason Carter, gubernatorial candidate for governor are such candidates that can appeal to these voters who tend to be independent-minded & conservative leaning. These three in particular can appeal to the what I called Zell Miller-Sam Nunn Democrats who have strayed away from the party in recent years.

These candidates in addition to Michelle Nunn who's running for the Senate have been criticized for reaching out to people who haven`t been voting for the Democrats in years, some people have criticized them for trying to broaden the base of the party. To liberals here in this state, broadening the base is how you win elections. Just ask Congressman John Barrow (D-Augusta) who have managed to win his last two re-election bids by broadening his base outside of his former home of Savannah and now Augusta.

Gerald Beckum with ex-State Rep.Robert Ray, Crawford Co

Bottom line: Georgia Liberal Democrats need to get past their interest-group politics and SUPPORT CANDIDATES who appeal to rural Georgians and their values...... well in another word, Georgians who values doesn't line up with the National Democrats and Obamacrats.  They don't understand that the real fault line is culture values. Left wingers often wonder why do working-class voters so often vote for the party (GOP) that pushes tax cuts for the wealthy? The short answer: Money isn't everything. Nothing connects quite like shared culture to persuade voters that, despite other appearances, you're really on their side.

Endorsement: Amy Tavio for GA-1 CD

Candidate for GA-1st CD Amy Tavio

Over in East Georgia for their first time since 1992 there will be a new congressman to represent the Coastal Georgia District. Jack Kingston is running for the U.S. Senate. On the democratic sie, three candidates are vying for the democratic nomination, Amy Tavio (D-Richmond Hill), Brian Reese (D-Savannah) & Marc Smith (D-Savannah)

There are only two really strong candidates in this race (Tavio, Reese). This race may end up in a runoff and it's likely both Tavio and Reese will meet one more time after the May 20 primary. Tavio is a realtor who started the Bryan County Democratic Party. Tavio has the support of former State Rep. Tom Bordeaux, former DPG Chair Bobby Kahn, ex-State Senator Doug Stoner & Alderwoman Mary Osbourne among others. Reese has State Reps. J. Craig Gordon, Mickey Stephens, 2012 candidate Lesli Messinger supporting his bid for congress.

Races aren't won during the primary, they are won in November and who is best to represent the party against the eventual republican nominee. In this conservative-leaning district, where attracting middle of the road voters is a must, we feel that Amy Tavio best demonstrates the ability to attract crossover voters in hopes of winning this seat. Attracting democrats only is NOT a recipe for success for a democratic candidate to succeed in this district. Brian Reese is a good candidate and a hard worker, but we feel that given that this is a midterm election and core democratic voters tend to drip off, a bid for crossover votes will be key as well as a willingness to take on the National Democrats. PEANUT POLITICS ENDORSES AMY TAVIO FOR GA 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Endorsement: Gerald Beckum for Secretary of State

Sec of State Candidate & Oglethorpe Mayor Gerald Beckum

In the Democratic Primary contest between Rural Democrat Gerald Beckum & Doreen Carter, Gerald Beckum is br far the better choice to advance to the general election to face current Sec. of State Brian Kemp (R). The 68 yr old mayor of Oglethorpe & conservative democrat has demonstrated his willingness to go where the voters are whether its Dekalb County or down in the Low Country areas of south Georgia, such as Bainbridge. His 32 yrs of experience serving as mayor & 40 plus yrs as a small business-owner gives him a unique understanding of the complexities of starting a business from scratch. Beckum is one of two democratic statewide candidates who reside outside of North Georgia/Metro Atlanta. Doreen Carter's resume is impressive, but this is about the general election and ELECTORAL STRENGTH & that's where she comes up short. Carter has zero presence outside of her safe enclave of Lithonia and a few Metro Atlanta Communities. Democrats must get behind Beckum in his bid to become Georgia's Next Secretary of State.  PEANUT POLITICS ENDORSES GERALD BECKUM FOR SECRETARY OF STATE

Jefferson Jackson Dinner Last Night in Fort Valley

Jason Carter addressing the audience during Peach Co JJ Dinner

Last Night, the Peach County Democratic held its first ever Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Fort Valley located in Rural Central Georgia at the Agriculture Technology Center. An estimated 200 were in attendance as they got to hear from Gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter, as well as other statewide hopefuls, Connie Stokes (Lt Governor), Alisha Morgan (State Superintendent), Chris Irvin (Agriculture Commissioner), Tarnisha Dent (State Superintendent), Gerald Beckum (Secretary of State) & Robin Shipp (Labor Commissioner)

Candidate for Agriculture Commissioner Chris Irvin speaking

Senator Carter was introduced by Macon Circuit D.A. David Cooke in which afterwards Carter gave a rousing, charismatic speech critical of Gov. Nathan Deal on Public Education, Jobs, etc.

Also on hand was Congressman Sanford Bishop & wife Vivian Creighton-Bishop, sheriffs David Davis (Bibb County) & Lewis Walker (Crawford County) and host of local elected officials from surrounding counties as well.

Rep. Sanford Bishop presents Carter with a Plaque

Candidates Gerald Beckum Secretary of State with Keith Heard Insurance Commissioner

What's Needed To Defeat A Entrenched Incumbent?

Courage, Committment, Determination, and Ego make first-time candidates or challengers to incumbents run. But what does it take to make them win? Candidates ranging from Jason Carter (Governor), Christopher Irvin (Agriculture Commissioner), Gerald Beckum (Secretary of State) to Brian Roslund, Harris County Democrat & Railroad executive taking on Incumbent (R) State Senator Josh McKoon to Joyce Denson of Toomsboro challenging Bubber Epps for HD 144 have stepped up to the plate to defeat entrenched incumbents. 

 

The challenges they faces are legion: Will major demographic changes in the state bode well for Carter, a Bluedog Georgia Democrat running in a Republican leaning state? Will Gerald Beckum's well-connected personal contacts across the state from his time of mayor of Oglethorpe bring the dollars so critical to his campaign? Will candidates such as Brian Roslund attract enough media attention? To whom can they turn for sound strategic advice and support? Balancing key issues in electoral politics with a fascinating David-and-Goliath storyline

How does anyone ever defeat a sitting incumbent? It's simple: Have a message that rings and resonates among open-like-minded voters. Because the rigid partisans, those types are unreachable.

The most likely conditions under which a incumbent is defeated would be where there is something extraordinary going on politically, such as the economy in dire condition, or voters who makeup the regular, working class, everyday Joes feel that their situation isn't getting any better.


In order for incumbents to lose elections, they must not only be perceived as having failed, but conditions ranging from economic to overall conditions throughout the state have to be going in a downward spiral or trending that way. Those discouraging conditions make a challenger's message resonate. If some of those conditions don't exist, the challenger might have a very bold, convincing message that ought to be appealing, but it will not be enough to persuade most voters to support the challenger. The main decision  that voters are making is not whether they want to endorse the challenger's vision and message, but whether they want to throw out the incumbent.

Eye On Georgia 1st Congressional District

Brian Reese

Amy Tavio

While everyone is focused on the Governor & Senate Races here in Georgia, down in the 1st Congressional District, there is a spirited race going on to see who will become the Democratic nominee to face the Republican Nominee in November.

Moderate Amy Tavio, a realtor from Richmond Hill & Progressive Brian Reese, Managing Partner, UPS our of Savannah are both running strong races in a bid to replace Jack Kingston who is running for the U.S. Senate.

The last democrat who held that seat was Robert Lindsay Thomas in 1990. Definitely a race worth keeping a eye on. Democrats in Atlanta & Washington haven't put this race on their radar, but with a very uninspiring & lackluster field of Republican candidates running in the 1st, which has a R+9 advantage (the same as GA-12), you never know.

More on this race later.

Jason Carter to Speak at Jefferson-Jackson Dinner April 5 in Peach County.

State Senator Jason Carter (D), gubernatorial candidate for governor will be the featured speaker at the Peach County Democratic Party's First Annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on April 5 at 6:00 p.m. at Fort Valley State University.

Expect other Statewide Candidates to appear at this function as well.

Tickets are $50.00. For more Info, contact Kattie Kendrick, Chairwoman of the Peach Co. Democratic Party or Vice-Chairwoman Mary Ann-van Hartesveldt  478-825-7624 or 478-825-2985

Should One of the Democratic Candidates for the Senate Follow Eugene Yu Lead & Switch Races?

With the switch of longshot U.S. Senate Candidate Eugene Yu (R-Augusta) from the U.S. Senate race to the 12th Congressional District, the question need to be raised should one or more of the Democratic Candidates consider doing the same thing?

Oglethorpe Mayor Gerald Beckum

The race on the Democratic Side has turned into a two person affair between Centrist Democrat Michelle Nunn (D-Atlanta) & Progressive Democrat Dr. Branko Radulovacki (D-Atlanta). 

Thus that leaves Gerald Beck, Steen Miles & Todd Robinson as the other democrats on the outside looking in because Michelle Nunn is sucking all if not most of the media attention & money away from the other candidates as well as Branko Radulovacki. You can say its unfair, but it is what it is.

Out of the three, Gerald Beckum, 68, mayor of Oglethorpe & Conservative Democrat should seriously consider doing what Eugene Yu have done....Switch Races. His long extensive background as a mayor & Agribusinessman would serve him well for Agriculture Commissioner, or (since he's already running for the U.S. Senate), a run for Lt. Governor. Connie Stokes isn't exactly tearing it up in terms of fundraising & building a statewide network. If he wants to stay local, then a run for the State Legislature would suit him well.

Beckum has been mayor since 1983 and is one of the very few remaining old line populist Georgia Democrats from the George Busbee, Joe Frank Harris, Zell Miller era. 

With qualifying set to begin on March 3, time is crucial for State Democrats to field candidates for down ballot races. Dems need a strong, credible slate of candidates who have the ability to appeal in a general election. At last check, general elections aren't won in the primary.

Candidate Recruitment

Recruitment is an activity that parties whether its the Democratic or Republican Party can engage in even if the party is weak on other dimensions of organizational strength. In the case of the Georgia Democratic Party, it must contest races in order to stand any chance of winning office, candidate recruitment is one of the first task for the Georgia Democratic Party. It must be able to recruit candidates, even if the party lacks a grassroots base or significant caucus resources. 

Having said that, here we are in a state that's trending from red to pink and eventually purple, Democrats are still having difficulty locating, recruiting, targeting candidates for legislative.....and even so far statewide contests. I'll talk about statewide contest later.

With qualifying looming early next month, the success of candidate recruitment in the legislature will depend on the House Democratic & Senate Democratic caucus willingness to accept democrats who are in the mold of a, say John Barrow, a conservative, but independent-minded democrat who doesn't toe the party line on every substantive issue that comes before them. Especially in the House where minority leader Stacey Abrams, a unabashed liberal who I say is wary of any Democrat hailing below I-20 or below Macon running as Bluedog Moderate or Conservative Democrat. And that maybe because of rash party switchers that has occurred over the past 4,6,8 yrs (Dems from largely rural areas switching to GOP). But those days (Party Switching) are over, I believe.


Now let me offer Dem's some advice:

Make a list of likely prospects, and analyze for strengths and weaknesses & then select a final few to approach. If possible, get to know prospective candidates personally before ever mentioning their running for office. Try to determine their level of integrity, energy, etc.  

Meet face to face with the potential candidate to discuss the potential of running for office. If possible, get an elected democrat to help with the approach. The face to face meeting is an important step, and help you find out what they are interested in, what time commitments they can make, and what issues they are addressing in their lives that might impact their ability to run. Help find solutions to potential barriers they may put up against running: (if parents, they may need day care; if low income, they will need financial support; if working, they may be very busy and not able to commit a lot of time to run). 

Talk about issues; make sure there is a philosophical agreement between the party and candidate. It doesn't have to be 100%. If the candidate agrees with 65-70% with the philosophy of the Party of Jefferson (Thomas) & Jackson (Andrew), then that should be the green light. An ideal candidate should have their own network of support outside the Democratic Party. Certainly y'all can offer solid support, but the candidate must bring SOME resources to the table. Be clear with expectations of time and money being  spent, among other things.

And one more thing and I've said this before, the best candidate are the ones who's background and life story fit into the district he or she is running in! REMEMBER THAT!!

With qualifying weeks away, there maybe too little time to go through each of these, but if I were in charge of recruiting, this is the process I would use when seeking potential candidates for House or Senate Districts.