Georgia's Very Own Megathread!

[GeorgiaModerate]

Apologies if there's a separate thread for this (I didn't find one).  The Atlanta mayoral runoff between City Councilman Andre Dickens and City Council President Felicia Moore is today.  Polls close at 8:00 pm EST.  IMO Dickens is a slight favorite, but that's little more than a guess.

[GeorgiaModerate]

This is Likely D.  GEORGIA is a blue state

Really interested in your take as a local. Do you think Kemp is a weaker or stronger opponent for Abrams?

Kemp is definitely weaker than he was in 2018; back then, he at least had the unanimous support of his own party, but it's pretty obvious that that's no longer the case. It's certainly possible that the GAGOP patches things up after an ugly primary, but I'd say it's still cause for alarm. Rightly or wrongly, the consternation over Abrams's refusal to concede in 2018 is mostly an online phenomenon, she still seems highly popular among suburban voters in Atlanta from what I can tell. The obvious downside for Abrams is that 2022 looks likely to be a favorable year for Republicans nationwide, but then again, Georgia has historically been relatively insulated from national swings (although that doesn't necessarily mean that this is a general rule!). This is a tossup race if there is one, but gun to my head Abrams squeaks it out.

I agree with all of this, and will add that IMO David Perdue would be no stronger a general election candidate than Kemp, and might even be weaker.  He has zero charisma, no record of accomplishments (quick: name one thing Perdue got done in the Senate, without Googling), and nothing to appeal to voters apart from the (R) after his name.

In the very unlikely event that Vernon Jones wins the primary, Abrams will clobber him.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Perdue's in: https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/breaking-david-perdue-plans-to-run-for-governor-in-2022/WRIWO2GV3ZG5ZCC6VO7B2XCI4M/

This should be a fun primary to watch.

[GeorgiaModerate]

The Republican GOP seems to be in outright civil war

"Republican GOP" is rather redundant.  I assume you meant the Georgia GOP, in which case I agree.

Also, Vernon Jones is staying in.  Get the popcorn ready:

https://twitter.com/Emma_Hurt/status/1467617310496145414

And speaking of redundancies, note the last line in his statement.  "Gubernatorial candidate for Governor."   

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/kristin__wilson/status/1467879916830138384

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/Emma_Hurt/status/1468598369291546634

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1468730939182354434

[GeorgiaModerate]

Some Trumper coworkers were discussing this today.

Basically they're very mad Trump has endorsed Perdue.  They want Trump to back Jones.  They're still supporting Jones.  They're worried Perdue will split the anti-Kemp vote and cause Kemp to come out on top by default.

Don’t they know that Georgia has runoffs?

The number of Georgia voters who don't know about the runoff rule is surprisingly high.  I encountered a bunch who were surprised that the Senate races weren't over in November.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Will Abrams win Glasscock county and the counties in the Northwest corner in the primary?

Does she have any primary opponents?

Not so far, and it's unlikely that there will be any.

[GeorgiaModerate]

538's weekly polling column features the Georgia gubernatorial race this week: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/an-early-look-at-georgias-governors-race/

Interesting tidbit:

Moreover, many Georgians — not just Democrats — like Abrams. According to a spring survey by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution/University of Georgia, 48 percent of Georgia’s registered voters had a favorable view of her, while 45 percent viewed her unfavorably. Abram’s base was concentrated among liberal and moderate voters, with 88 percent and 64 percent holding her in high regard, respectively; it’s also worth noting that 18 percent of conservative voters had a positive view of her. Kemp, meanwhile, earned higher marks among conservative voters (67 percent had a favorable view), but otherwise, he lagged behind Abrams with moderate (34 percent) and liberal voters (16 percent). Overall, just 44 percent had a favorable view of him, compared with 47 percent who had an unfavorable view.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Perdue is going full 2020 election conspiracy theorist.  Possibly a good strategy in the primary, but not in the general election.

David Perdue files election lawsuit with recycled, already-disproven claims of fraud

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1470912072192073728

[GeorgiaModerate]

Per Axios, 25 of the 34 Republican state senators sent Perdue a letter last month urging him not to run for governor.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Jones OUT of Governor’s race, will instead run for Congress:

https://twitter.com/repvernonjones/status/1490769361203871748?s=21

No doubt Trump twisted his arm on this.

IDK why this matters?  GA has a runoff!

Well, it probably spares the Republican Party a great deal of embarrassment in the governor's race due to Jones.

What's really funny -- read the bottom of the press release!  It still says he's running for governor.

[GeorgiaModerate]

The effort to have Buckhead secede from Atlanta and become its own city, which was already losing steam, is dead for this legislative session.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Watching the NCAA basketball tournament on the Atlanta CBS station, I just saw a Perdue ad featuring Trump attacking Kemp.

[GeorgiaModerate]

I wasn't really sure where to post this, so instead of making its own thread I decided to post it here.

Stacey made a cameo on Star Trek Discovery as the President of a 'United Earth' and I have to say that she absolutely killed the look. Can't wait to see it.

Just curious, did you not read the 15 or so posts immediately above yours?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Trump is holding a rally tonight in Commerce, a small city about 70 miles northeast of Atlanta, for Perdue and the other candidates he's endorsed in Georgia, plus some of the usual suspects like Marjorie Taylor Greene (Commerce is not in her district).  Follow the AJC's Greg Bluestein for details:

https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1507785717279342592

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1507868216076664835

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1507905718330007556

[GeorgiaModerate]

The Herschel Walker stuff should really be in the Georgia thread on the Congressional board, not this one, since he isn't running for governor.  But I can't resist adding one more, from a well-known local Republican:

https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1511363006998925314

[GeorgiaModerate]

I call a foul for chart abuse:

https://twitter.com/BrianKempGA/status/1512167075967639553

[GeorgiaModerate]

Here's a weird story from the AJC's political insider column:

State Rep. Trey Kelley’s estranged wife Amy is backing his GOP primary rival Scott Richards in the May 24 vote. In a three-page letter sent to residents of his Cedartown-based district and obtained by your Insiders, Amy discloses several deeply personal problems in their relationship.

“It’s very heartbreaking to tell you these details because I loved Trey. My family loved Trey. We all showed forgiveness and grace and stood by Trey during life storms. I devoted my entire life to him and was his biggest cheerleader,” she wrote.

“I continued to cling-on to hope and my faith that he would become a better man eventually, but it just got worse.”

Kelley stepped down from his role as the House Majority Whip last year as he was facing a misdemeanor charge after a fatal hit-and-run accident. A judge ultimately ruled that his failure to call 911 in response to the crash wasn’t reckless conduct. Amy Kelley initiated a divorce around the time her husband was indicted.

https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-democrats-seek-review-of-changes-to-automatic-voter-registration/MZDXYMWONVDXNFSCYENVVB5LMA/

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/stphnfwlr/status/1518366103285731328

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/stphnfwlr/status/1518367931561881600