Who will and should replace John Lewis?

[Tekken_Guy]

If Nikema Williams is the nominee, then I could definitely see Vincent Fort returning to the Senate seat he gave up.

[Oryxslayer]

Anyway, the five 'finalists' released to the press by Jason Carter this morning are:

- Park Cannon
- Andre Dickens
- Robert Franklin
- Nikema Williams
- James 'Major' Woodall

Smells like the final decision will come down to whether they want to pick a true replacement or a placeholder

[Roronoa D. Law]

Anyway, the five 'finalists' released to the press by Jason Carter this morning are:

- Park Cannon
- Andre Dickens
- Robert Franklin
- Nikema Williams
- James 'Major' Woodall

Smells like the final decision will come down to whether they want to pick a true replacement or a placeholder

Yes, I'm glad to see Park Cannon on the list. Got to meet her last year still all signs point to Nikema Williams then.

[MaxQue]

Anyway, the five 'finalists' released to the press by Jason Carter this morning are:

- Park Cannon
- Andre Dickens
- Robert Franklin
- Nikema Williams
- James 'Major' Woodall

Smells like the final decision will come down to whether they want to pick a true replacement or a placeholder

For the sake of most people:

- Park Cannon : State representative, self-described queer
- Andre Dickens: Atlanta at-large city councillor
- Robert Franklin: Former president of Morehouse College
- Nikema Williams: State senator, chair of the Georgia Democratic Party
- James 'Major' Woodall: Chair of the Georgia NAACP

[Oryxslayer]

It also appears that there was a lot of weeds the committee had to sort through, so these first five might have just been the chafe.

https://twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1285225256630837248?s=20

[Nutmeg]

I want Bee Nguyen, but Nikema Williams seems like the most likely pick.

I hadn't heard of Nguyen before, but after looking her up, she definitely seems like a rising star in the state.

[scutosaurus]

I got to meet Park Cannon a few months ago and was very impressed by her sincerity and political drive. She'd be a fantastic choice.

[Oryxslayer]

https://twitter.com/cbs46/status/1285248959003254784?s=20

Candidates making their pitch to the commission right now. Votes between the 5 probably happened afterwards. I suspect Dickens and Franklin are the placeholder candidates, whereas Cannon, Williams and Woodall are the potential long-termers.

I will edit this post with brief summaries of the five's statements.

- Park Cannon's pitch was very localized, feminist, and progressive oriented.
- Andre Dickens focused on his relationship with Lewis and his relevance despite being just a city council member.
- Robert Franklin spoke about his history in Atlanta and and how he has adapted and kept fighting despite this change. Also mentions that he is flexible depending upon if the committee recommends a short term appointment.
- Williams went hard on her long track record with democratic party politics and her history of voter engagement.
- James Woodall spoke about replacing not just the fifth district, but also the activist and symbolic shoes left empty with Lewis's passing.

[brucejoel99]

Sad that Vincent Fort didn't make it to the final 5.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Sad that Vincent Fort didn't make it to the final 5.

He hates Stacey Abrams and the DPG is her party now. He wasn't getting it. LOL.

[Oryxslayer]

Committee preference seems above a supermajority for Nikima Williams.

Committee accepts the motion that her receiving the nomination requires her to vacate the senate seat.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Nikema Williams will be the nominee. She won 37/41 votes. 90 percent.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Sad that Vincent Fort didn't make it to the final 5.

Isn't he the Berniecrat who ran for Atlanta mayor and had his ass handed to him?

[Rookie Yinzer]

Sad that Vincent Fort didn't make it to the final 5.

Isn't he the Berniecrat who ran for Atlanta mayor and had his ass handed to him?

Yes. Then he backed Stacey Evans for Gov, released some disparaging remarks about Abrams, and toyed with running for LG before backing out, and watching Evans get 25 percent of the vote. He's irrelevant.

[Tekken_Guy]

Sad that Vincent Fort didn't make it to the final 5.

Isn't he the Berniecrat who ran for Atlanta mayor and had his ass handed to him?

Vincent Fort is Williams’ predecessor in the state senate. I could see him go for his old seat.

[NewYorkExpress]

Assuming Stacey Abrams doesn't jump into the Governor's race in 2022, I could Nikema Williams running for that seat.

I also could see Williams running for the Senate in 2022 (again, assuming Abrams doesn't run for that seat.)

[tmthforu94]

TBH based on how she's handled the VP-stakes, Abrams believes she is qualified to be president. With her national brand already so high, I'm not sure what she really has to gain by running for Governor, except for the risk of losing a second time, which would be a big nail in the coffin. In '22, she'll be fundraising and helping other candidates to help prepare for her '24 presidential run.

[NewYorkExpress]

TBH based on how she's handled the VP-stakes, Abrams believes she is qualified to be president. With her national brand already so high, I'm not sure what she really has to gain by running for Governor, except for the risk of losing a second time, which would be a big nail in the coffin. In '22, she'll be fundraising and helping other candidates to help prepare for her '24 presidential run.

Abrams wouldn't make it out of a primary. She'd get hammered on experience by pretty much everyone in a 2024 primary field.

She has to run for and win something, be it a House seat, Senate seat, or Governor's Mansion (or other Georgia Statewide office) in 2022.

[Oryxslayer]

TBH based on how she's handled the VP-stakes, Abrams believes she is qualified to be president. With her national brand already so high, I'm not sure what she really has to gain by running for Governor, except for the risk of losing a second time, which would be a big nail in the coffin. In '22, she'll be fundraising and helping other candidates to help prepare for her '24 presidential run.

Abrams wouldn't make it out of a primary. She'd get hammered on experience by pretty much everyone in a 2024 primary field.

She has to run for and win something, be it a House seat, Senate seat, or Governor's Mansion (or other Georgia Statewide office) in 2022.

Which is why she is setting up for the rematch with Kemp, and trying to act as a 'shadow' governor similar to shadow oppositions in PM systems. She has played  her hand specifically with this rematch in mind. If she passed the senate races, than she was only ever going to take the a congressional seat if she were to act as a two-year stopgap. Biden has shot down executive aspirations, though maybe an appointment is still in the cards. She's potentially put all her eggs in the basket of Kemp being disliked enough and Georgia shifting fast enough for her to run competitive in 2022, but we won't know how wise that decision will be for a few years.