A long season of primary campaigning ended Tuesday for most campaigns across the state. Congratulations to the winners of the Republican primaries. Now it is time to begin the process of putting aside the differences and unite as Republicans for the good of our state and nation.
Some primaries are still ongoing with runoff elections. The 2nd District is one with Chris West and Jeremy Hunt making another run for the majority vote.
I congratulate Chris and Jeremy for their strong campaigns. Both candidates worked hard and met the voters across the district. Both have passionate supporters.
Now those who supported one of the other four candidates in the race will get behind their second choice. My choice for the runoff is Chris West.
Both Chris and Jeremy have conservative messages that match up to the values of the 2nd District. There are differences which will make the decision for those like me who had another first choice in the primary.
Chris made a strong point in his campaign that he was born in Southwest Georgia, went to school here, was married here, and now works here. He has been involved in Republican politics here. He also emphasizes that he is going to stand up and represent the people of the 2nd District, not merely the Washington establishment.
Chris’s strong support financially and at the grassroots level comes from the people of the 2nd District. I watched Chris through the campaign and I am convinced that he will stand up for his district and be a voice for the people of Southwest and Middle Georgia. He represents the people of his district because he has lived, planted deeper roots, and invested his life in the 2nd district.
Jeremy ran a great campaign. He worked hard and went to every county in the 2nd District. He is friendly, outgoing, and connects well. He is a strong and positive communicator.
Jeremy promotes his candidacy as a pathway to win over those who have become disenchanted with the Democrat party. Chris West can do the same.
There are aspects of Jeremy’s campaign that are less than positive for me. The outside influence is primarily what raises the flag of concern.
Jeremy leveraged his relationships with Fox news to get multiple appearances of free air time to promote his campaign. It seemed that Jeremy was showing up every few days.
The Fox hosts fawned over Jeremy like he was a movie star. A slight edge in air time for someone with an existing relationship with Fox is understandable and even acceptable. This was not just a slight edge.
After the fourth or fifth appearance with no other candidate being given equal opportunity the stacked deck became so blatant that Wayne Johnson wrote a letter to Fox news demanding equal time. Fox never gave equal time but did invite other candidates on for one appearance. On election morning, Jeremy was back on Fox and Friends with another telethon to get out the vote for Jeremy Hunt.
Between Fox News and hundreds of thousands poured in from PACS that have no connection to the 2nd District, it raises serious questions about the tug of influence that Jeremy will face. The office sought is the US House of Representatives. It should seem to be reasonable to select someone who has some length of time living in the 2nd district.
Jeremy is new to the 2nd District. At a meeting in Crawford County, I asked him when he moved to Columbus and he said that he moved at the end of the year. He did not say that he moved from Connecticut.
I later learned that he did not register to vote in Columbus until February, which was several weeks after he announced his candidacy for congress. His voter registration was in his permanent residence in Metro Atlanta. That bit of information led me to ponder which was worse, being a Connecticut Yankee or being from Fulton County.
I also learned that he is still attending Yale Law School while trying to unseat a powerful incumbent. This undertaking is not a mission to be squeezed in between classes.
The Democrats will send an army to the 2nd District because Abrams and Warnock must have the 2nd to win. Be assured that Sanford Bishop will present himself as the candidate who really understands the needs of the people in the 2nd contrasted to someone who just showed up.
That brings me to an argument that I have heard privately, but no one seems to want to discuss it openly. There is a feeling by many that it will take a black Republican to beat a black Democrat in this district.
Republicans need to decisively crush and reject any notion of identity politics. First, it collides with the value of the individual based on the content of character, not the color of skin. Secondly, it simply does not work. I know that many want it to work, but it has not and there is no reason to believe that it will.
If a Democrat determines to cross over and vote for a Republican, it will not be merely because of the color of that Republican’s skin. It will be because that Democrat is sick of hearing the same story over and and over while paying $6.00 per gallon for gasoline. It will be because that individual sees the value of his or her paycheck dissolve with skyrocketing inflation. When we play identity politics, we are no different than the Democrats.
In short, I support and ask you to vote for Chris West because he will be your representative. I know his loyalty will be to the people right here where he lives and has invested his life.
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Sign up to receive Common Sense from DC (Not Washington). I won’t waste your time or flood your inbox with junk or pleas for money. You’ll get my thoughts and commentary on various issues and stories about people, politics, and proclamation. You can unsubscribe easily at any time. I appreciate you as a reader and will strive to make it worth your while.
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