Last month I had the experience of attending the 2011 Georgia GOP Convention.
Between 2000 and 3000 people packed the convention hall in Macon, an hour south of Atlanta in the center of the state.
A spirited race took place for the chairmanship of the state GOP. Incumbent Sue Everhart was reelected over challengers Tricia Pridemore and Shawn Hanley. They are all good people. I have met them all. Yet Ms. Everhart stood tallest when the voting was done.
Governor Nathan Deal inspired the crowd at a breakfast, while Mrs. Deal shined in her remarks. They are both incredibly nice people, and they told me I was welcome to move to Georgia if the left coast where I live got any worse. I offered to make him Governor of California, but we both knew it would be a pay cut and a loss of prestige.
I got to meet a Facebook friend who is now a real life friend. Sahar Hekmati runs the Conservative Republican Women’s Club in Georgia.
http://www.conservativerepublicanwomen.org/
Presidential contenders addressed the convention. Herman Cain tossed out red meat in his fiery manner that delegates love. He also spoke at an outdoor rally and signed autographs.
The highlight of the convention was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Despite allergies, he gave an electric speech. This was only two days before he had an appearance on the Chris Wallace Sunday talk show that was widely panned. Yet at the GA GOP Convention, Speaker Gingrich was magnificent.
His best best remark came when he stated that unlike the current White House occupant, his foreign policy approach would be an improvement. Plainly stated, Mr. Gingrich said, “We should have one.”
There was little to no revelry with regards to afterparties. This convention was more businesslike, since it only lasted two days instead of three. People wanted to get down to brass tacks and then “git her done.”
One reason Georgia was able to do this is because the state held for the GOP in 2008 and swing sharply to the right in 2010. Other states are trying to turn red. Georgia already is.
If it seems that this convention description is much shorter than that of other conventions, this is not to slight Georgia in any way. They simply did a bunch of things right in the previous two elections, and are looking to maintain that momentum. This may not seem terribly exciting, but expanding home turf is better than playing defense.
I was there as a vendor, and business was brisk at points.Times are tough economically, but Georgians are a tough bunch themselves.
Speaking of tough, the Republican Women of Georgia are as tough as anybody in the state. A luncheon featured National FRW President Sue Lynch. As Mrs. Lynch says, Republican women are not the “backbone.” The state GOP chair is a woman. The women are front and center, heart and soul.
http://www.gfrw.org/html/home.html
From Governor Deal on down, it seemed that everybody kept their remarks reasonably brief and to the point. That is what happens when people are doers, not talkers. The GA GOP convention was a case of “mission accomplished.” Now the hard work begins. They already have their sleeves rolled up.
eric