Georgia's Very Own Megathread!

[Rookie Yinzer]

Casey Cagle's campaign announces a huge advertisment assault worth $4.5 million across all major markets. Article also mentions a third party group backing Cagle purchased hundreds of thousands worth of ads this week as well.

http://politics.myajc.com/blog/politics/cagle-makes-monster-buy-georgia-gov-race/QMlkeztcGKjCEbkwyfxwKK/

Michael Williams has been awfully quiet. I'm surprised he hasn't at least released an online advertisement, even if he's not ready to do television and radio ad buys yet.

[Rookie Yinzer]

LOL Cagle. By all means, please push the Delta-employed white folks in Cobb, Forsyth, and Gwinnett out of your camp. 

[Rookie Yinzer]

LOL Cagle. By all means, please push the Delta-employed white folks in Cobb, Forsyth, and Gwinnett out of your camp. 

What is the distribution of delta employees in Georgia actually? Is there a map anywhere of it?

I don't know about a distribution of their locations within the state.  A Delta news release from Oct. 2015 says that it was Georgia's largest employer with 33,000 in the state.  I would expect most of them to be either at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport or at Delta HQ, which is near the airport.  This is on the south side of the metro area, so Cobb, Gwinnett, and especially Forsyth seem less likely than Fulton and the south suburban counties.

People commute. And I specifically mentioned white people, and South Fulton and Clayton aren't exactly teeming with that demographic. None of the counties I mentioned are more than an hour's drive from the airport. Especially Cobb which is literally 25-30 minutes up I-285.

Anyway, met Stacey Abrams tonight and was mesmerized. More convinced than ever, that I was wrong in my initial judgement of her candidacy and that she has the fortitude to flip this state.

[Rookie Yinzer]

I know that there is an organization called Dawgs 4 Abrams on UGA's campus that is working directly with her campaign to mobilize the college campus vote. (There is a similar group with the Atlanta University Center, with plans to collaborate with more colleges) They have social media--- I would contact them and see if they have anything in the works with her.

[Rookie Yinzer]

A second Republican State rep from Gwinnett County has decided to retire this year.

https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-education/another-lawmaker-from-gwinnett-retire/idhwah2gujUap7Tt3PNXlJ/

Wonder what on the ground has shown them that the writing is on the wall. Gwinnett County GOP have been sending out e-mails begging people to run this year.

Cagle's Delta flub and Kemp's nefarious actions with our elections will make for great ads this fall. I'm just ready for Gwinnett and Cobb to become the new Prince William and Loudon counties and for us to break 40 percent in Fayette and 30 in Forsyth and Cherokee so that ATL metro can finally tip the state the way NoVa does in Virginia.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Michael Williams on CNN making up a lie that Delta gives discounts to Planned Parenthood.

https://youtu.be/psYc7tLupfM

These people are neanderthals.

[Rookie Yinzer]

The national Democratic party awarded Georgia Democrats a grant of $100,000 to mobilize black rural turnout ahead of the mid-terms. Its the first grant of its kind. 

https://politics.myajc.com/blog/politics/georgia-dems-plan-initiative-mobilize-rural-black-voters/uNWYowzwKmGSoYMmPrJMQJ/

OMG! The Democrats are finally getting that non-white people live in rural areas.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Just protested at Kemp’s last event on his bus tour. Felt great!

They made us move outside the gates in the park where it was held before we even got to start chanting.

[Rookie Yinzer]

I mentioned earlier in the thread that there were 2 Gwinnett County house members retiring but there are actually FOUR.

Duluth-based HD 97 which was Trump 54-41
Lawrenceville-based HD 102 which was Trump 49-45
Grayson-based HD 105 which was Clinton 52-45
Lilburn-based HD 107 which was Clinton 54-42

There is also HD-48 which was Clinton 51-45

We reallllyyyyyy need to turn out the Latinos and African-Americans in Gwinnett County in HUGE numbers. This county is ground zero for the flip of our state and dismantling the GOP's power in the legislature.

[Rookie Yinzer]

The Republicans. The GOP is going to get slaughtered on the national level on Election night and they will be hurt and ready to fight back at the ballot box. Especially with crooked Kemp as Secretary of State. He will be throwing us off the rolls left and right.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Kemp releases first ad. It is about illegal immigration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx7TsHCH35w

[Rookie Yinzer]

Stacey Abrams is also dumb for running as the #woke Instagram poet candidate in a state that is still fundamentally Southern and conservative.

She’s really not. Running to the left of draconian right wing policies is not being a “woke instagram poet”. Or shall we continue to criminalize poverty, suppress voters, and deny people healthcare?

[Rookie Yinzer]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/03/06/donors-launch-2-5-million-push-elect-georgias-first-african-american-governor/399282002/

Stacey Abrams is also dumb for running as the #woke Instagram poet candidate in a state that is still fundamentally Southern and conservative.

She’s really not. Running to the left of draconian right wing policies is not being a “woke instagram poet”. Or shall we continue to criminalize poverty, suppress voters, and deny people healthcare?

Running to be the first female POC elected governor of a U.S. state is not a policy position. 

This is preposterous. Her race and gender are fact. She has not mentioned it in one advertisement or policy proposal. Sounds more like projection from those who can't see past those basic facts about her. Let's not pretend that the right would not be hyper aware of this regardless of if she ran her campaign like a mealy-mouthed centrist afraid to rock the boat.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Just found out that someone who is a family friend is challenging Rep. Gerald Greene (R) in a majority-black district in rural SW Georgia. Hillary won here 52-46, and Obama 2012 won here 56-43 (!) so clearly Abrams should provide enough coattails to help her over the line. Abrams will be opening two field offices down there in the coming weeks so I suspect the Democratic presence in the community to be strong over the next 8 months presuming Abrams wins the primary of course .

[Rookie Yinzer]

Just found out that someone who is a family friend is challenging Rep. Gerald Greene (R) in a majority-black district in rural SW Georgia. Hillary won here 52-46, and Obama 2012 won here 56-43 (!) so clearly Abrams should provide enough coattails to help her over the line. Abrams will be opening two field offices down there in the coming weeks so I suspect the Democratic presence in the community to be strong over the next 8 months presuming Abrams wins the primary of course .

>Republican in majority black district

Lolwut

He switched from Democrat to Republican after he won re-election in 2010, and didn't have a serious challenger during Presidential years. He only won by 7 in 2014 with black turnout down. Don't see how he escapes this time with Trump mid-term + black woman at the top of the ticket (potentially).

[Rookie Yinzer]

Interesting data! I didn't take into account that he may have voters who would cross over and vote R just for him*. Well needed reminder to take off my partisan goggles sometimes.

I do believe the Abrams campaign will be a positive as she attempts to bring out a ton of D-leaning low info voters** who wouldn't know Greene from a hole-in-the-wall and they'll just select the D candidate.

*Interesting stat about how well Republicans do with blacks in areas that have a heavy military presence.

**Her GOTV operation will center on these type of voters.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Abrams campaign has been battling the story of her owing $54,000 in back taxes. She has reiterated that the money is owed due to a period of financial hardship where she had to take on the medical expenses of her two parents.

https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/shocking-human-abrams-evans-grilled-young-democrats-meeting/FYNMxfy8yhHz9Jhe0kHEHM/

The Abrams campaign has also been reaching out to the Congressional Black Caucus to gain more endorsements from national black lawmakers. A senior aide for Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) says there is an endorsement roll-out on the way.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/darrensands/in-the-tense-georgia-democratic-primary-stacey-abrams-made?utm_term=.gaOr7dwnJV#.pr5dMEzLaV

And with an endorsement of Stacey Evans expected from Mayor Bottoms in the near future, black Democrats are bracing themselves for the fallout:

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One pro-Abrams Democratic donor thinks it is in Bottoms best interest to not endorse Evans:

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My biggest take-away from the article was this:

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https://www.buzzfeed.com/darrensands/atlantas-new-mayor-is-endorsing-in-georgias-democratic?utm_term=.ijwX1Lzqdj#.idepNAYLPe

[Rookie Yinzer]

The Abrams campaign was not quoted in that article. That was simply the opinion of a Democratic strategist and a Democratic donor. Evans has already been endorsed by two dozen elected black lawmakers who were under Abrams while she was leader and no stink was made about it. I truly doubt Abrams is expecting endorsements because of her race.

She is also not running on being the first WOC elected governor "first and foremost". It is not mentioned in any of her ads or the numerous policy proposals she has released over the past year. Everytime I have seen her asked about the potential of being the first she downplays it and turns the conversation to the state at-large and not just her. Some are seeing only what they want to see IMO.

ETA: Evans should be dropping her television ads this week or next. I'm interested in seeing if she can close the gap with an all-out ad assault. A PAC had some pro-Abrams ad on television a couple weeks ago. It was absolutely terrible and cheap and I'm glad it was pulled. I haven't been able to find it online. LOL.

[Rookie Yinzer]

The Abrams campaign was not quoted in that article. That was simply the opinion of a Democratic strategist and a Democratic donor. Evans has already been endorsed by two dozen elected black lawmakers who were under Abrams while she was leader and no stink was made about it. I truly doubt Abrams is expecting endorsements because of her race.

She is also not running on being the first WOC elected governor "first and foremost". It is not mentioned in any of her ads or the numerous policy proposals she has released over the past year. Everytime I have seen her asked about the potential of being the first she downplays it and turns the conversation to the state at-large and not just her. Some are seeing only what they want to see IMO.

ETA: Evans should be dropping her television ads this week or next. I'm interested in seeing if she can close the gap with an all-out ad assault. A PAC had some pro-Abrams ad on television a couple weeks ago. It was absolutely terrible and cheap and I'm glad it was pulled. I haven't been able to find it online. LOL.

Have you seen the Power Pac commercial recently. I know people on this forum haven't and I cant find it online. But in the commercial it shows the woman march, VA state senator Roem, Abrams saying I don't have to change my gender, my skin color, my hair to be govenor. And ends with a picture of Rosa Parks and Michelle Obama.

Yes. I mentioned the commerical in my post. I thought it was awful. It also wasn't commissioned by the Abrams campaign. It's no different than the Latino Victory Fund commercial that the right tried to pin on Northam. Candidates can't control what "fringe" narrative their supporters want to advertise. I truly doubt Abrams will be taking Danica Roem and Linda Sarsour-led commericals to the airwaves.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Kemp says he will sign the toughest abortion laws in the country as Governor and if anyone wants to sue then “bring it!”

https://politics.myajc.com/blog/politics/kemp-vows-outdo-mississippi-and-sign-nation-toughest-abortion-restrictions/82QEEBktHVKOkaG7qW7LII/?utm_source=politics_fb&utm_medium=social

Kemp v. Abrams will be epic if it comes to it.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Yeah if I were polled I would say I approve of Deal's job performance even though I would never vote for him.

[Rookie Yinzer]

The Working Families’ Party has launched an effort to reach out to 200,000 low-propensity African-American voters in support of Abrams whom they endorsed last year.

https://politics.myajc.com/blog/politics/georgia-2018-abrams-aligned-progressive-group-launch-major-canvassing-effort/6aG47KUyTGhzfYEdArvLDO/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=politics_fb

Abrams’ candidacy, win or lose, has at least provided Georgia Democrats with a GOTV infrastructure they can use in 2020. This is so refreshing.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Why do Abrams and Kasim Reed hate each other so much?

Not sure how far their feud dates back but I do know that Kasim Reed and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin hate each other. Stacey Abrams was Deputy City Attorney under the Franklin administration.

[Rookie Yinzer]

First Stacey Evans TV Ad

https://youtu.be/5wemvAYiv5U

[Rookie Yinzer]

I know signage doesn't mean much, but I've been struck by how few signs there have been for gubernatorial candidates compared to downballot races.  In my usual haunts (northern suburbs and exurbs of Atlanta) I've seen a grand total of 1 Hill, 2 Cagle, and 2 Kemp signs.  But the roads are cluttered with signs for State House and Senate candidates.

I live, work, travel, protest, etc in the East metro suburbs/exurbs of ATL, Kemp is overwhelmingly represented out here. I see his signs like everywhere. I can't even count how many I've seen. Hill would have the second most if I had to guesstimate, and I've only see one Cagle sign.

Me and a group that I'm involved with plan to each get 10 people in our social circles to put up Abrams signs as well as put some up in public areas so we can begin get her some name rec out here.