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Former President Donald Trump speaks during a "Save America" rally in Perry, Ga., on September 25, 2021. AP Photo/Ben Gray

Trump loyalists have become the dominant voice in many GOP chapters across Georgia, per the AJC.

The sea change threatens GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who is loathed by the former president.

The wave of new leadership is set to shift the party's agenda on the local and state levels.

For decades, Cobb County, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta, boasted one of the most influential Republican Party chapters in the state, propelling the careers of well-known lawmakers like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Sen. Johnny Isakson.

However, in recent years, what was once a solidly Republican suburban bastion has morphed into a politically-competitive jurisdiction where Democrats have been ascendant over the last decade - which culminated in President Joe Biden's countywide victory in the 2020 election, along with the locality backing Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in their respective races earlier this year.

In the wake of Georgia supporting Biden in 2020, local Republican chapters - including the Cobb County GOP - have become increasingly dominated by loyalists of former President Donald Trump, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who was endorsed by Trump in 2018, is now on the outs with the former president after refusing to overturn Biden's victory in Georgia last fall, rejecting calls to initiate a legislative session to install pro-Trump electors.

Now, animosity against the sitting GOP governor has spread from the party's kingmaker to the grassroots level.

Four years ago, Kemp was welcomed with open arms by the Cobb County GOP when he kicked off his nascent gubernatorial bid. However, in late September, he was censured by the organization for failing to meet campaign promises on immigration, party chairperson Salleigh Grubbs told the Marietta Daily Journal.

"[Kemp] has consistently said, 'I've got a big truck in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take them home myself,'" she told the publication, alluding to a widely-viewed advertisement from the governor's first campaign. "So the resolution portion of it says that Gov. Brian Kemp be censured for his failure to keep his campaign promises and meet his obligations to end illegal immigration in the state of Georgia."

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Rep. Jody Hice is running in a GOP primary to oust Brad Raffensperger as Georgia's secretary of state. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Hice in the race. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Trump boosters are now driving the agenda within local GOP chapters, even more so now that the former president continues to repeat debunked claims about the 2020 election and tease a potential 2024 campaign.

According to the AJC, Trump loyalists have wrestled control of the local GOP machinery "in at least a dozen counties" in Georgia; while the loyalists have brought new energy to the local organizations, they have also "contributed to the ongoing friction" that the party must overcome to win in 2022.

Trump has so far refused to endorse Kemp in 2022, and he's eagerly seeking to replace Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger with conservative Rep. Jody Hice next year. Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who has been highly critical of the former president's election claims, declined to run for reelection in 2022. And former NFL star Herschel Walker is the leading 2022 Republican Senate candidate to contest Democrat Raphael Warnock in what will likely shape up as one of the most competitive races in the country.

DeAnna Harris, who leads the Cobb County Young Republicans and opposed the censure of Kemp, told the AJC that it was essential for the GOP to present a united front to voters.

"All families have disagreements, but we've got to learn how to disagree in private and move forward in public together," she said. "Because it's going to set the stage for next year - and the next presidential election."

Harris also said that the "Trump takeover" is not just about optics, but is indicative of allies having a say in the party agenda, along with their ability to recruit candidates and spread their message to voters.

Trump for years has rebuked party members who were not firmly in his camp, and his loyalists are now waging an "internal war on mainstream Republicans who long controlled the gears of power," according to the AJC.

In recent months, the changes within local parties have been swift.

Kerry Luedke, who chaired the Cherokee County GOP for much of 2020 and focused on turnout efforts, told the AJC that she was ousted from her post after a wave of activists arrived, inspired by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon's call for loyalists to seize control of the party.

"While I was out there knocking on doors for the runoff candidates, they were Christmas shopping. But in their view, we had to go," she said. "It didn't really matter to some of these activists what we had done. They just wanted a clean sweep."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Excerpt from:
Trump loyalists are leading a 'takeover' of local Republican parties across Georgia - Yahoo News

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New York state GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy kicked off his Just Say No tour on Staten Island Monday in opposition of five ballot proposals that will be on the ballot on Nov. 2.

Langworthy was joined by the boroughs Republican delegation - North Shore City Council candidate Patricia Rodinelli, Assemblyman Michael Reilly (South Shore), Sen. Andrew Lanza (South Shore), Councilman Joe Borelli (South Shore), Borough President candidate Vito Fossella, Mid-Island City Council candidate David Carr, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (Staten Island/South Brooklyn), Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (Mid-Island) and Staten Island GOP Chairman Anthony Reinhart -- who are also in opposition to the ballot proposals.

The main opposition is to three of the five proposals:

The other two proposals would add a new amendment guaranteeing clean air and water to the state constitution and allow residents to sue in certain circumstances. It would also raise the limit on claims in the citys Civil Court from $25,000 to $50,000.

(Staten Island Advance/Kristin F. Dalton)

Langworthy said its his belief, and that of the Republican party, that the ballot proposals defy common sense and threaten democracy.

Its almost as if Democrats are working to legalize rigged elections, Langworthy said.

Fossella referenced the 2020 presidential election and how many Americans and lawmakers alike are still questioning the validity of the results. Youd think people would want to make sure the election is fair, Fossella continued.

Regarding same-day voter registration, there is a consensus among the GOP members that removing the process where city Board of Election (BOE) workers verify a persons identity, district, and eligibility prior to election day would undoubtedly increase fraudulent votes.

Mallotakis said its completely inappropriate.

These proposals are nothing more than an attempt by Democrats to increase their strangle hold on the state of New York. They undermine the integrity of the election; thats exactly what [Democrats] want, Lanza said.

Easy to vote, hard to cheat its the American way, Lanza said.

Borelli, who spoke briefly, said hes confident the people of Staten Island will vote against the proposals and vote Republican because they are frustrated with the one-party rule.

FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER.

Continued here:
Borough Republicans oppose 5 ballot proposals days before early voting in NYC - SILive.com

Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, October 14:

Latest Ohio Republican Anti-Vax Bill Could be Dead(AP) The Republican speaker of the Ohio House Bob Cupp has once again put the brakes on a GOP bill restricting employers' ability to require that workers receive the coronavirus vaccine. His announcement Wednesday afternoon suggests the bill has little chance of passing the House in its current form. All major business and health groups oppose the legislation, and the Republican president of the Ohio Senate has also signaled his disapproval. The bill allows employees to claim one of three exemptions to a mandatory workplace vaccine, including showing proof of antibodies from a previous COVID-19 diagnosis.

Ohio GOP Call for State Supreme Court Justice Recusal on Redistricting Suits(Columbus Dispatch) The Ohio Republican Party is calling on Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, to recuse herself from a trio of lawsuits challenging new state legislative maps. The GOP argues that Brunner used redistricting as a campaign issue and attended fundraisers hosted by two of the plaintiffs in the suits. The Columbus Dispatch reports that Brunner says she has no intention of sitting out the gerrymandering cases. The Ohio judicial code bars judges from making promises to rule a certain way on issues but does not prohibit them from expressing personal views, as long as they promise to uphold the law. The call for Brunners recusal comes a week after justice Pat DeWine refused to sit out the redistricting cases in which his father, Gov. Mike DeWine is a defendant. Ohio Code does call for justices to recuse themselves in cases involving family members, but DeWine said he has no obligation to step down in part because his father had a limited influence on the maps.

Clevelands $26 Million Stimulus Spending Plan Passes City Council Committee(Cleveland.com) Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's plan for spending $26 million in stimulus funding has passed through City Council's Safety Committee. Cleveland.com reports the plan calls for more than $10.2 million in funding for new police and SWAT vehicles, including transport vehicles for "social unrest." Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said the department is requesting nearly $4.5 million for police cameras in 127 different areas of the city. The spending plan will also be reviewed by the Development, Planning and Sustainability, and Finance committees.

Akron Health Equity Summit to Focus on Racial Disparities in Healthcare(Cleveland.com) The City of Akron has announced it will hold its annual Health Equity Summit virtually Nov. 9-10. Cleveland.com reports the fifth year for the event is a gathering of local healthcare leaders, workers, service agencies, and advocacy groups to address racial disparities in healthcare and find equitable solutions. Mayor Dan Horrigan said the summit will focus on how systemic racism intersects with community violence and how the city can invest in effective prevention strategies.

Tri-C President Johnson to Retire(Crains Cleveland) Cuyahoga County Community College President Alex Johnson has announced he will retire next year. Crain's Cleveland reports Johnson said the time is right for new leadership at Tri-C. His last day will be June 30, 2022. Tri-C officials said there will be a national search for his replacement. Johnson became the college's president in 2013 and oversaw the reorganization of several Tri-C programs.

Ohio Community Challenges US Census, Retains City Status(AP) An Ohio community has successfully challenged the results of the 2020 U.S. Census and managed to retain its status as a city. The recent census found that Nelsonville had lost 780 people since 2010 and there were just over 4,600 residents in the Athens County community. Under Ohio law, communities with fewer than 5,000 residents are considered a village instead of a city. The City Council used a 1953 state law to mount a recount. Ohios secretary of state on Tuesday certified Nelsonville has 5,373 residents and is indeed a city.

Browns Missing Key Players as They Prepare for 5-0 Cardinals(AP) NFL sacks leader Myles Garrett and star running back Nick Chubb are two of several key Browns players not practicing because of injuries. Garrett, who has seven sacks and has been dominant all season, is dealing with knee and ankle issues. The 2020 All-Pro defensive end sat out two practices last week but played in Sundays 47-42 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Browns host the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals this week. Before Wednesdays workout, the Browns said Garrett will sit out along with Chubb, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, starting right tackle Jack Conklin, running back Kareem Hunt, defensive end Takk McKinley, tight end David Njoku linebacker Malcolm Smith and center JC Tretter.

Originally posted here:
Morning Headlines: Latest Ohio Republican Anti-Vax Bill Could be Dead; GOP Calls for State Supreme Court Justice Recusal Over Redistricting - WKSU...

Michael Bartiromo, Nexstar Media Wire

Republicans for Voting Rights (RVR) says they launched the campaign to put an end to sham audits, calling them a waste of time and money. (Republicans for Voting Rights)

(NEXSTAR) A Republican-led advocacy group is calling for high-ranking Republicans to end their audits of the 2020 election. And theyre doing it with huge billboards that read Trump Lost.

Republicans for Voting Rights, an organization operating under Defending Democracy Together, has launched a quarter-million-dollar campaign to erect dozens of these billboards in major markets across the country, including one digital billboard right in the heart of Times Square.

On Twitter, the Republican Accountability Project a sister organization of Republicans for Voting Rights (RVR) confirmed the Times Square billboard was up as of Wednesday. A representative for the group said dozens of similar digital billboards were already running as of Thursday. More traditional static billboards, too, are scheduled to follow.

Many of the billboards are, or will soon be, situated in states where theres discussion about an audit of the 2020 election, according to the Republican Accountability Project (RAP) website. Such billboards are going up in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, per the RVR.

The 2020 election was secure and fair, said RVR Director Amanda Carpenter in a statement shared with Nexstar. These sham audits are a waste of time and money.

Trump himself has repeatedly urged Republican lawmakers to conduct audits of vote counts, despite allegations of voter fraud during the 2020 election having been dismissed by numerous state election officials and even Christopher Krebs, then-head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) during the Trump administration.

Despite these certifications, Republican politicians and supporters of Donald Trump have called for audits in multiple states, many at the cost of taxpayers. A few of the most notable audits conducted in Georgia and Maricopa County, Arizona, confirmed President Bidens win, and in some cases increased his margin of victory.

Republican Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), has also called on Republicans to stop perpetuating the Big Lie in a recent tweet directed at Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who, during an appearance on Fox News, refused to say the election wasnt stolen from Trump.

Millions of Americans have been sold a fraud that the election was stolen, Cheney tweeted Sunday. Republicans have a duty to tell the American people that this is not true. Perpetuating the Big Lie is an attack on the core of our constitutional republic.

All of RVRs billboards both digital and static will be live as of next week, according to the group.

Defending Democracy Together, the anti-Trump advocacy organization under which the RVR and RAP operate, was founded amid the Trump administration by lifelong conservatives and Republicans including Bill Kristol, who served as chief of staff under Vice President Dan Quayle, and Sarah Longwell, a former chair of the Log Cabin Republicans.

We are Republicans, former Republicans, and conservatives committed to protecting every Americans right to vote, explains a message that appears on the Defending Democracy Together website.

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Trump lost: Republican-led group launches billboard campaign calling for end to election audits - NewsNation Now

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Republican Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine under fire for not recusing himself in three redistricting lawsuits, his party is asking Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner to step down from the case.

Ohio Republicans are arguing her history makes it impossible for her to consider the issue impartially. Were talking about the brazen claim, aimed at muddying the issue, on This Week in the CLE.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with editor Leila Atassi, editorial board member Lisa Garvin and me.

Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom text account, in which he shares what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802.

Here are the questions were answering today:

Is the Ohio Republic Party really challenging a Democratic Ohio Supreme Court Justice on the gerrymandering case while Pat DeWine resists overwhelming pressure to get off the case where his father is a key player?

Weve had turnover among the leaders of Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, the Greater Cleveland partnership and more. Whos the latest to head out the door?

Has all the wackiness going on with Republican legislators finally persuaded Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp to give up on finding a compromise on a bill to regulate vaccine mandates in Ohio?

Were weeks away from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions in Cleveland, and we still dont know who the presenters will be. But some information has been released about what to expect during induction week. Mike Norman, what do we know?

Should we be encouraged or discouraged that only 6 percent of people in Cleveland have opted in to the citys new recycling program?

Do we finally have an issue upon which some of the Republicans seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate do not stand with Donald Trump?

We got a behind-the-scenes peak at the return after more than 18 months of the Cleveland Orchestra to Severance Hall Music Center, or whatever it is called now. What did we see, and what is ahead for Clevelands renowned cultural institution.?

What did reporter Marc Bona learn in speaking with Jordan Chiles of the Gold Over America Tour of female gymnasts, which is touring the country?

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Is anyone buying the Republican Partys diversion tactic on Justice Pat DeWines conflict of interest? This W - cleveland.com