Dougherty County Republican Party back in business

Georgia GOP Chairman John Padgett announced yesterday that the Dougherty County Republican Party has been re-organized after lacking leadership for several years.

“To ensure victory at the ballot box in 2014, the Republican Party must have a solid footprint in southwest Georgia,” said 2^nd District GOP Chairman Joseph Brannan.  “The reorganization of the Dougherty County Republican Party is strategically advantageous and we are thrilled to welcome them back into the fold.”

The Dougherty County GOP will now participate in a multi-step process to become an officially recognized part of the Georgia Republican Party.

“Tonight, I am especially proud to serve as Chairman of a Party that works tirelessly to spread the principles of free markets, limited government, and individual responsibility to voters throughout the state of Georgia,” said GAGOP Chairman John Padgett.  “The reorganization of another county party in south Georgia is a testament to the hard work that our District Chairmen, and surrounding County Chairs are doing to energize the base and expand our stronghold going in to next year’s election.”

Doug Everett on the PSC is the only statewide elected official from Southwest Georgia.

Senator Saxby Chambliss still fundraising

Despite announcing he will not run for reeleciton next year, Senator Saxby Chambliss has continued fundraising for his leadership PAC, taking in nearly $45k the last quarter and ending with $82k cash on hand. According to Roll Call’s Political Moneyline blog,

The PAC gave $27,500 to federal candidates, including $5,000 to Mike Enzi, R-Wy.; $5,000 to Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.; $5,000 to Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; $5,000 to Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; $2,500 to Senate candidate Steven Lonegan, R-NJ; and $5,000 to House candidate Rick Allen, R-Ga..

More-partisan districts lead to more partisanship

Politico writes that Tea Party activists may not be solely responsible for Republican House members’ unwillingness to compromise — another culprit is more highly-partisan districts that lead to Republican and Democratic members who have no fear of a general election defeat, and plenty to worry about in primary elections. From Politico

Most of the Republicans digging in have no reason to fear voters will ever punish them for it.

The vast majority of GOP lawmakers are safely ensconced in districts that, based on the voter rolls, would never think of electing a Democrat. Their bigger worry is that someone even more conservative than they are — bankrolled by a cadre of uncompromising conservative groups — might challenge them in a primary.

So from the standpoint of pure political survival, there’s every incentive to keep the government closed in what looks like a futile protest over Obamacare. The latest theory gaining currency in Congress is that it will take a potential default on the nation’s debt in a few weeks to bring the crisis to a head.

Just look at the ringleaders of the defund-Obamacare effort in the House: Georgia Rep. Tom Graves, a Tea Party Caucus member, represents a district where Obama won just a quarter of the vote. Fewer than two in five voters in Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie’s district backed the president for reelection. And Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador, a poster child of the conservative Club for Growth, is in a district where Obama got just 32 percent.

“Why is it us [that has] to give up the fight? How about we actually negotiate?” asked GOP Rep. Markwayne Mullin, who represents an east Oklahoma district where Obama received 32 percent.

Capitol Police paychecks

After yesterday’s panic at the United State Capitol, news reports began to filter out that Capitol Police officers, though not furloughed, may have their paychecks delayed by the federal government “shutdown”.

Capitol Police officers aren’t subject to furloughs, so they’re still on the job. But – like all federal workers who are deemed essential and are working during the shutdown — their next paycheck won’t be until the shutdown ends.

Guidance from the Office of Management and Budget says that workers who are exempt from furloughs will receive pay for their time at work. But that can only happen after Congress passes and the president signs a new appropriation or continuing resolution.

Most federal workers get paid biweekly, although the day of the week varies by agency. A portion of federal employees received their last paycheck yesterday for the previous pay period.

Expect a thankful Congress to start talking about fixing that issue posthaste.

Deal, Black open Georgia National Fair

Yesterday, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black sang and Governor Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal spoke at the opening of the 24th Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga. From the Macon Telegraph:

Gary Black, commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture, provided a moving rendition of “God Bless America” as part of his plea for resolution of the funding battle in Washington.

The guest speaker was Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and first lady Sandra Deal, who both expressed their appreciation for the fair.

When he was a youth, Deal used to show hogs and cattle as part of his participation in 4-H and FFA activities, Gene Sutherland, chairman of the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority, said during his introduction speech.

“He loves these fairgrounds,” Sutherland said of Deal.

Deal said people were talking about his suit and tie at the fair. He had another function to attend after his speech or else he would have been in boots and jeans, he told the crowd.

Fall is a time for him to think back on his days showing livestock.

“When I got out of the car and smelled those fresh shavings, it brought back a lot of fond memories,” Deal said.

Governor Deal’s background in agriculture is seldom-remarked upon, but in his youth, he was very active in the FFA and 4-H. From an Atlanta Magazine profile last year:

“Before I went to high school, we bought a farm about four miles away from where our house was. A little over 300 acres. We planted a little bit of everything—wheat, grains, corn. And we started a cattle operation. Up to that point in time, we’d had a hog farm. We grew registered Duroc pigs. I showed those growing up, both as a 4-Her and later as a member of FFA. I got a box full of ribbons and trophies over the years from that. I saved up enough money to pay for my first year of college from winnings in livestock shows.”

“I was also involved in public speaking. I won regional, state, tristate, Southern region, and went on to the national FFA convention in public speaking. I won second place in the nation. I had pretty well decided that I probably was not going to go into agriculture, that I’d go a different route—law school.”

“John Foster owned the radio station in Sandersville at the time. During my junior or senior year of high school, he called me up out of the blue and said, “I want you to enter the Voice of Democracy competition.” I said, “What is that?” He said, “Well, you write a speech, you record it, and it’s all done through the radio.” So I wrote a speech. He submitted the tape and I won the state competition, so I got to go to Washington, D.C.”

Perdue talks Goverment, did he also talk spelling?

Former Governor Sonny Perdue visited Lake Joy Primary School in Warner Robins yesterday with Mrs. Perdue, to speak to second-graders. Apparently, the headlines for Channel 41’s coverage of the event were written by State School Superintendent John Barge’s campaign webmaster.