Rural Consulting Firm Opens in Taylor County

Up in the rural Georgia town of Butler, Jay Stalnaker of Taylor County & Keith MacCants of Macon County have joined forces to open StalnakerMacCants Consulting.

According to their facebook page, StalnakerMacCants Consulting consists of two subsidiaries, a small business consulting firm and a political consulting firm. With almost two decades of experience in the political field and internet technology, Stalnaker and MacCants provide a number of services for potential clients. Their political services encompass everything from general consulting and voter outreach to fundraising and advertising & small business services are focused around social media and advertising.

According to MacCants, who is the editor & founder of Peanut Politics & former vice-chaor of the Macon County Democratic Party, "being a consultant wasn't even on my radar. Then one day Jay (Stalnaker) called me to pitch this idea of going into business together & I didn't hesitate & agreed to go in business with him. He told me that there wasn't a consulting firm that didn't serve rural Georgia, especially when it came to politics".

Stalnaker who ran for the Butler City Council two years ago & was a member of the Young Democrats of Georgia, as well as founding the Taylor County Young Democrats, which is not active anymore, as well according to MacCants has a very sharp business & political mind. "I say he have more dept that I do when it comes to politics. He's a pragmatist & doesn't get pulled in either corner of the political spectrum. I maybe a little more conservative than him on certain issues, but we make a great team." We compliment each other. Its kinda like a Charles Barkley & Kenny Smith chemistry (TNT NBA Analyst). I would say or do some things, I know Jay wouldn't say or do out in the open.

StalnakerMacCants Consulting is not just a democratic consulting firm, says MacCants, but its also will help elect republicans who hold the same views as they do. No we won't just be working with democrats, although the majority of our clients will be moderate/conservative democrats, but with republicans who are also moderate/conservative.

Stalnaker & MacCants just may hold the key in helping elect more rural democrats to the legislature. Having been born & raised here, both Jay Stalnaker & Keith MacCants know what it will take to win in the more culturally & socially conservative parts of the state. Myself & Jay, we know rural Georgia. We know its fears, its insecurities, its likes, its dislikes, what will appeal & what will not appeal to the rural masses. A progressive/liberal candidate cannot & will not win in rural Georgia, unless he or she is running in democratic strongholds like Macon, Savannah or Albany" says MacCants, who ran for the 2nd Congressional District back in January, losing to liberal Dr Jeanne Dugas of Muscogee County back at the DPG elections in January of this year.

The Small business section of the consulting firm will be focus on advertising & social media, among other things. In rural Georgia, its difficult to to gain visibility for your business says MacCants. "There are plenty of Ma & Pa businesses that give great service, but have very low foot traffic. This idea of small business consulting was Jay's idea" says MacCants. If a business wants to gain more exposure but doesn't know how, they call us & we'll take it from there.

Expect StalnakerMacCants Consulting to play a role not only in 2011, but 2012 elections for local, legislative & congressional races. But I want to say good luck & congrats to Jay Stalnaker & Keith MacCants for their new business venture. I see them being very successful in this venture.

Do these three Democrats hold the Key in unlocking the GOP grip on Georgia?

We've heard the names of Chris Carpenter,Bobby Kahn, Jeff DiSantis, as well as others who are well-known, highly regarded poilitical pols for democrats here in Georgia from strategizing to running a campaign. But the success rate for these gentlemen have been zero & its time for potential candidates for office in the near future like Rob Teilhet, Carol Porter, DuBose Porter, Michael Thurmond, etc to take a look at some new blood to help bring a "V" to the democratic column. There are a few that could do just that beginning next year when congressional & legislative races begin & in 2014 when statewide elections begin.

Im talking about Gunner Hall of Chatham County, Jay Stalnaker of Taylor County ,Christopher Sloan of Troup County.

Before any of you say "WHO?", let me tell you something about each of these gentlemen & why they ought to be considered by any democrat who will run for statewide office in 2014.

Gunner Hall has been involved in shaping the political landscape of Georgia. After helping found the Augusta/Richmond County Young Democrats,he was voted President of the organization. Quickly moving up the ranks in the Young Democrats, he has served as 12th District Field Director, Membership Chair and also Vice-President of Fundraising for the Young Democrats of Georgia.

In 2008 he helped James Vaughn, a first time candidate for Monroe County Commission Chairman, shock local politicos by out raising the Republican incumbent 2 to 1. This huge financial advantage not only aided Mr. Vaughn in winning his campaign, but also in becoming the top Democratic vote getter in the county in the general election.

he guided 10 of his 12 clients to victory, showing that Democrats can and do get elected in South Georgia. During the 2008 primary, he was a part of last minute efforts to aid Mickey Stephens in reclaiming his State House seat. In just a few short weeks, Mr. Stephens had raised the money necessary to push through the last few pieces of mail needed to reach thousands of voters that otherwise would not have been contacted, ultimately winning the seat. Also in 2008, Gunner aided Bill Gillespie on his run for Congress in Georgia’s First Congressional District. Although the campaign ultimately ended in a loss, Gillespie’s campaign was the first ever to organize every major population center and also was the first Democrat to run T.V. ads in that district, against longtime congressman Jack Kingston. A outdoorsman, Hall wasvoted “Top 40 under 40” by the Savannah Business Report and Journal. Using his contacts throughout South Georgia, Gunner was recently involved in a candidate recruitment program in South Georgia for the 2010 election cycle. A excellent commnuicator & strategist, the time has arrived for Hall to operate a major statewide contest.

Jay Stalnaker is a young conservative democrat hailing from Taylor County which is the home of former Lt Governor Garland Byrd. Stalnaker started the Taylor County Young Democrats a couple of years ago, & at age 23 ran for Butler City Council which he fells hort by a dozen votes back in 2008. Stalnaker who is a Freemason, Methodist, Kappa Sigma, Consultant could be the democrats version of Nick Ayers if given the opportunity. Stalnaker sharp political mind & quick thinking makes him a valuable asset to any democratic candidate whether its for the State Legislature, Congress, of Statewide office next year or in 2014. I happen to know Jay & believe me he is the REAL deal! Stalnaker once worked at the Taylor County Board of Registars as deputy registar & is a graduate of Columbus State University.

Christopher Sloan is another young, rural democrat hailing from Troup County. Sloan is the current chair of the Troup County Democratic Party. A progressive moderate, Sloan ran for Chair of County Parties at the DPG, falling short due to what I call the lack of familiarity by the committee. Sloan's great communication skills, passion & determination as a rural progressive is something that is unrivaled by any other rural progressive I've seen here in Rural Georgia. He is the poor man's & Georgia's version of Paul Begala. Sloan experience in Georgia politics maybe limited, but from what I've seen, he has the tools to be a consultant of advisor for any democratic contender down the line. Sloan is a graduate of Gordon College at Barnesville & currently attending Ashford University

While Gunner Hall have been at this for a while, he, along with Stalnaker & Sloan would make a terrific strategist or campaign manager for any perspective democratic candidate. Each of these gentlemen have the magic key in unlocking the GOP stranglehold on this state since the election of Sonny Perdue in 2002. Are you listening Mr. Teilhet? Mrs Porter? Mr Porter? Mr Thurmond? Any democrat who have eyes on higher office?