I am often asked for my opinion on various races. When those I respect and trust tell me that they support a particular candidate, it helps me make my decision as well.

Party primaries and run-off elections can get so competitive that in the final days, the strategy appears to be mutual assured destruction. The heated rhetoric can get so strong that friendships are strained.

The Republican Governor’s primary is at the boiling point. I do not intend to turn up the heat. People for whom I have the greatest respect have endorsed both Republicans. The fact is that in a couple of weeks, one of the two in each race will be our nominee. I fully intend to support all our nominees.

Right now we have a responsibility to select which candidates will be our nominees. I voted on the first day of early voting. Here is how I voted.

For Secretary of State, I voted for Brad Raffensperger in the run-off. My original choice was Josh McKoon but Josh did not make it to the runoff. Brad was my second choice. He owns a small business so he knows about government regulations and how they impact small business. He is endorsed by Georgia Right to Life, has an A rating from the NRA, and from the National Federation of Independent Business. Brad got my vote.

For Lt. Governor, I voted for David Schafer. I have known David a long time. He was a conservative workhorse in the Georgia Senate. He has literally hundreds of endorsements from conservative leaders and organizations including Georgia Right to Life, NRA, Citizens for Trump, and many others.

In my experience, David has always done what he said that he would do. He is not a show horse and willing to work behind the scenes to get the job done. David got my vote.

For Governor, I voted for Brian Kemp. I know both Brian and Lt. Governor Cagle. I consider them both to be friends. In a few weeks, one will be our Republican nominee for Governor.

Brian Kemp is also a small business owner who has not let his public service role as Secretary of State go to his head. He is just as level headed and approachable as he was when he first ran for office. What drove him to run for office was the frustration of government.

He brought some common sense solutions to the office of Secretary of State and cut the budget while taking on additional services. It was Brian Kemp about two years ago who caught someone trying to hack into the Secretary of State database, and that “someone” turned out to be our own US Homeland Security. Kemp correctly ordered them to back off.

Kemp took on the Obama administration and won. Instead of giving Georgians lame excuses of why he could not take them on, he fought back.

There have been some very ugly attack ads that do not focus on Brian’s successes. Anyone who steps out to start a small business is taking a risk. It should not be a surprise that every business does not do as well as others.

All of us have challenges in life and those challenges tend to make us wiser and more humble. I personally know the pain of a project that went sour on me and had a terribly negative impact on my business, family, and personal credit rating.

I know many people who faced the same thing. It is not a bad reflection on their personal character. In many ways it is an asset because they, myself included, can empathize with those in the midst of struggles.

I believe that Brian connects with the average Georgian. He has not forgotten where he came from and why he got into government in the first place. Brian got my vote.

So there you have it. Brian Kemp for Governor, David Shafer for Lt. Governor, Brad Raffensperger for Secretary of State. That’s how I voted and I endorse each one.

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