Trump headlines the Georgia GOP convention, Kemp absent
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
The Georgia Republican Party held its convention in Columbus over the weekend with former President Trump — who lost the state in 2020 — as its headliner.
- Conspicuously absent were some of the Republicans successfully re-elected in 2022, including Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, as well as most other 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls (except Asa Hutchinson).
Why it matters: It's the latest example of the disparity between the Georgia GOP grassroots and the state's leading Republicans actually in office as the swing state heads into another presidential election year.
Driving the news: Trump on Saturday rejected his federal indictment as "horrific," repeated 2020 election fraud claims and called his chosen 2022 Georgia candidates' primary losses "unfair," including Jody Hice to Raffensperger and David Perdue to Kemp.
Threat level: Trump and outgoing state party chairman David Shafer could still be in legal trouble in Georgia. Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis plans to announce indictment decisions in her investigation of efforts to overturn the 2020 election this summer.
- Trump on Saturday called Willis a “lunatic Marxist.”
What they're saying: "I think the party continues to become more and more isolated from the party's actual voters….not just voters but members," said Jason Shepherd, who spent decades in party leadership positions before losing a 2021 bid for state party chairman. "I've seen schisms in the party before, but I've never seen it this bad."
- Indeed, party rules, Shepherd points out, dictate that all people who vote Republican are technically members of the party. But those are not the members who show up to elect delegates, county party leadership and state party leadership, he points out.
- Because of the time commitment to participate in days of elections for various leadership roles, he said, "the activists are the ones that show up … motivated by their passion for the causes that they believe in. And some of those are way outside the mainstream."
By the numbers: According to a new poll commissioned by Kemp allies, just 7% of general election voters listed "election integrity" as a top issue.
And yet, the state GOP convention prominently featured that issue through Trump, Arizona gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake — who spent months challenging her 2022 loss — and a seminar by "election integrity" activist Garland Favorito on "issues in the 2020 and 2022 elections."
The big picture: "We're at a point of no return, a crossroads for the state party," said Georgia Republican strategist Brian Robinson.
- "We're highlighting the views of one segment of the primary electorate," he said. A "legitimate segment," he acknowledged, "but not representative of the primary electorate that showed up in 2022 … and not representative of the messaging that can win statewide in 2024."
Of note: "Elected people have already taken steps to free themselves from the oversight and need for coordination from the state part," Robinson pointed out.
- With the creation of leadership PACs for certain officials and state House and Senate caucuses to raise unlimited donations, lawmakers created a way to skirt the need for the state party in fundraising.
- Gov. Kemp in 2022 made good use of it to build an unprecedented ground game operation, independent of the party.
- (Outgoing Chairman Shafer came under scrutiny for improperly helping Kemp's primary opponent last year.)
What we're watching: At the convention, former state senator Josh McKoon (a champion of controversial religious freedom legislation) was elected new party chairman, replacing a staunch Trump ally.
- He told the AJC he intends to bridge the divide ahead of 2024. "It’s all about bringing everyone to the table, and I’m able to do that," he said.
- The party can become relevant again if new leadership commits to mend fences, Robinson said. "It's going to take a master fence mender."
Yes, but: Other newly elected party leaders have made claims of election fraud, including some who joined failed lawsuits challenging President Joe Biden's victory.