Georgia Republicans Want to Lose to Democrats
The only conclusion one can draw from the recent behavior of Republicans is that they want to lose to Democrats in 2022 and beyond. A week ago, the Georgia Republican Party hosted former President Trump, who urged Stacey Abrams, a Democrat with a very national profile, to run against Gov. Brian Kemp. Chairman David Shafer, who was present for the rally and the Georgia Republican Party has done next to nothing to downplay Trump’s comments.
On Thursday, the Cobb County Republican Party censured Kemp for failing to fulfill his campaign promises to get tougher on illegal immigration. Yes, we know that Republicans don’t like illegal immigration (and, increasingly, they don’t seem to like legal immigration), but keep in mind that immigration is largely a federal issue and that Georgia already has a tough immigration law on the books. Separately, the Cobb County Republican Party passed a resolution related to opposition to vaccine passports and another calling for a forensic audit and criminal investigation into the November 3 and January 5 elections. Sigh.
The censure resolution was enough to get Jason Shepherd to resign as party chair. Shepherd said that the party “has lost focus.” He also said the Cobb County Republican Party can’t censure someone who isn’t a member and expressed frustration that many Republicans want Kemp to do things that aren’t within his power. “Part of it is just a complete lack of understanding of our system of government, which as Republicans we’re the ones who constantly say that we understand how government works,” Shepherd told the Marietta Daily Journal, “but now we’re censuring our elected officials for things they cannot do. And I’m not going to be part of an organization that does that.”
The Cobb County Young Republicans did fire back at the censure of Kemp. “Governor Kemp is one of the greatest governors our state has had. He has championed and signed some of the most conservative legislation- including the Heartbeat Bill, which he is continuing to fight for in court today,” Cobb County Young Republicans political director Brittany Ellison said in a release.
“Governor Kemp kept our state open so business owners and hard-working Georgians could provide for their families. The Governor and First Lady have worked tirelessly toward the ending of human trafficking while fighting for the rights of victims. Their leadership ha[s] kept us the #1 state to do business in eight years in a row. It is clear they care deeply about each citizen in this state and I am proud to support them,” she added.
Shephard and the Cobb County Young Republicans are the voices of reason. The Georgia Republican Party and at least some of its county affiliates are acting as though they want to lose. The Republican Party has become less about limited government and more of a cult for Trump that thrives on being fact-free. The wheels fell off the car a long time ago. The clowns are coming out. The Cobb County Republican Party is just the latest to make an appearance.
