Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for June 6, 2016

The expulsion of the Cherokee from Georgia began on June 6, 1838 as 800 members left by riverboat.

On June 6, 1944, seventy years ago, Allied forces under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower began the invasion of France, called D-Day.

On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.

By dawn on June 6, 18,000 parachutists were already on the ground; the land invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where 2,000 troops were lost and it was only through the tenacity and quick-wittedness of troops on the ground that the objective was achieved. By day’s end, 155,000 Allied troops–Americans, British and Canadians–had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches.

On June 6, 1949, George Orwell published 1984.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Congratulations to Randy Evans on his reelection as National Committeeman from Georgia, and to Ginger Howard on her election as National Committeewoman. Ginger spoke to Fox 5 about the convention,

During the two-day event, Republicans chose 31 at-large delegates to represent them at the GOP Convention in Cleveland in July.  They also re-elected Randy Evans as National Committeeman and chose Ginger Howard to replace Linda Herren as National Committeewoman.

Howard said she plans to help conservatives come together in spite of divisions over the party’s presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

“This is what I said in my speech, ‘it’s not about a person  It’s not about a position.  It’s about our country.  It’s about our future.  We’re in the fight for the soul of this country.  So, let’s stop focusing on the presidency or the person; let’s focus on the battle.  And if we all lock arms together, whether we were for Ted Cruz or Rick Perry or John Kasich or Donald Trump, we all don’t want Hillary Clinton,'” explained Howard.  “That’s where I’m coming from.  That’s my springboard.”

On Saturday, Senator David Perdue took the stage, donning his jean jacket, and over the course of his address, a red “Make America Great Again” ball cap.

From WDRW,

Perdue says the denim is a symbol of his outsider status, something he shares with Donald Trump. “I would love to see him temper his comments on some things, but remember, he got to where he is because he says these things in a way that people back home want it said,” Perdue says.

Perdue says Trump is strong on military spending and national defense, something he hopes Augusta’s military community will buy into. He says, “I believe if you get a conservative in there they are going to get that funding in a way that will provide for the national defense.”

After his speech, I got to sit down and talk with Senator Perdue about his support for Donald Trump.

Walter Jones of Morris News writes about a resolution passed by the Convention.

The resolution chastised the absent Deal for vetoing bills on “religious liberty” and campus guns. The Resolutions Committee combined proposals and reportedly toned them down into one that identified the governor and legislators by office only, not name.

It said, “The delegates of the Georgia Republican Party convention … call upon our elected Republican legislators and our governor to get back to the basics of republican principles.”

State Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, who won re-election in a May 24 primary, said during the campaign that he and other lawmakers had not given up on “religious freedom” legislation.

The convention’s resolution on campus carry and “religious freedom” got more debate than any other resolution put in front of the delegates.

Other adopted resolutions included support for school vouchers, state income-tax reduction and medical marijuana as well as opposing Medicaid expansion.

Here’s the best perspective on the weekend’s Republican Convention and whatever fallout occurs from the 2016 Presidential Election. It comes via WTVM.com,

Yesun Wiltse sits with her fellow Columbia County delegates – representing her party on the front-lines of the biggest Georgia republican party issues.

“This is so important because everything that elected officials make a decision on it affects all of us. I think every good citizen should be involved. To know what is happening, what kind of policies are being passed,” said Wiltse.

Wiltse, like most delegates, aren’t politicians, but very active citizens. For her seeing the difference in life between her hometown Korea and the U.S. sparked her passion.

“I was born in Korea, Korea is divided into communists of North Korea and the democratic South Korea,” said Wiltse. “I feel that sometimes, people born in this country don’t realize how fortunate they are to be born in this wonderful country where they can exercise so many freedoms. The only limitations we have are the limitations we put on ourselves.”

The City Council of Guyton, Georgia has tried and failed three times to appoint a new member to fill a vacancy, according to the Savannah Morning News.

At Tuesday’s regular meeting Mayor Jeff Lariscy and Councilman Steve Collins again said no to Councilmen Frank Goldwire and Michael Johnson’s choice, Joseph Lee.

Collins and the mayor’s choice is Marshall Reiser, a Guyton CPA.

The impasse continued, leaving Lariscy saying other avenues will be pursued, including a possible special election.

Georgia Democrats are preparing for a grassroots effort to turn out voters in November, according to BuzzFeed.

The Georgia Democrats, said to be among the furthest along in the country, have 16 new paid staffers — and more beginning as soon as this week — who are working on a new field effort, dubbed “New Day GA”, to turn out the party’s base in November.

Marlon Marshall, the Clinton campaign’s director of state campaigns and political engagement, and senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan have briefed the Georgia Democrats, telling operatives inside the party that the Clinton campaign considers it a “Tier 2” state — not a swing state (Tier 1), but one the campaign will be watching as potentially winnable.

“We’re developing an infrastructure that’s built within the state party and built to last,” Michael Smith, communications director for the Democratic Party of Georgia told BuzzFeed News. “Georgia is in play this year, and we aren’t waiting around or wasting any time. The work has already begun.”

The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials is hiring for its Latino voter engagement program, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.