A bipartisan celebration of a maverick Georgian: ‘Zell Miller changed my*life’

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by Forhall

I generally hate Republicans and their backwards ways, but unlike many people I'm willing to give credit to the other side when it's due. Senators like Susan Collins are a good example. Nathan Deal is another. With Georgia the kind of state that it is, it would be VERY easy for us to end of with a Jeff Sessions type bigot as a governor. It wouldn't be inconceivable for our Republican governor to be out there stripping away education scholarships, trying to block gay marriage, signing bizarre transgender bathroom bills, etc. We could easily have some zealot at the state capitol pushing his religion on the entire state while attacking the existence of other religions. Yes, we have a Republican...And knowing Georgia we will have another Republican after him. But I have felt comfortable with Deal, knowing he won't do anything insane to destroy our economy. He at least tries to stay out of the fray when it comes to religious matters. I can't imagine how badly Atlanta's development would be affected if we had a far right governor.

I won't hope for a Democrat in 2018, but if we end of with a psycho like Kemp or Kingston I will be worried for our future development. Much of metro Atlantas growth is thanks to open minded northerners and west coasters, and the open minded business they work for. We elect an idiot who tries to find a new minority group to scapegoat and attack, and we will end up like NC after the bathroom bill.

I agree, I expect another Republican for the forseeable future, but as long as they stay away from the religious zealotry and biogtry, then I can be agreeable to it, even if I would prefer a different approach overall.

There are many things I don't like about Deal and some of his shady dealings, but at least he keeps us out of something so obviously wrong for business and the state like NC, so in that idea, I can respect him for that, but his view on guns and some of his shadiness with education and his daughter is questionable at best.

I get it, it's his base and his family, but still.

I agree, don't give us Kingston or Kemp.

I don't think she could win but Yates would be an interesting name to consider.

[Aery11]

I haven't heard Zell Miller's name for a long time now. Glad to hear he was being celebrated - by both sides. Sorry to hear though that he is ill and was unable to attend.

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by Hokiehaven

I agree, I expect another Republican for the forseeable future, but as long as they stay away from the religious zealotry and biogtry, then I can be agreeable to it, even if I would prefer a different approach overall.

There are many things I don't like about Deal and some of his shady dealings, but at least he keeps us out of something so obviously wrong for business and the state like NC, so in that idea, I can respect him for that, but his view on guns and some of his shadiness with education and his daughter is questionable at best.

I get it, it's his base and his family, but still.

I agree, don't give us Kingston or Kemp.

I don't think she could win but Yates would be an interesting name to consider.

Kingston is a nightmare. Read his history of votes. Basically anything decent (violence against women act, protecting endangered species, etc) he voted against, but of course voted for anything pro gun, pro abortion, anti gay, etc. Horrible human being.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Forhall

I generally hate Republicans and their backwards ways, but unlike many people I'm willing to give credit to the other side when it's due. Senators like Susan Collins are a good example. Nathan Deal is another. With Georgia the kind of state that it is, it would be VERY easy for us to end of with a Jeff Sessions type bigot as a governor. It wouldn't be inconceivable for our Republican governor to be out there stripping away education scholarships, trying to block gay marriage, signing bizarre transgender bathroom bills, etc. We could easily have some zealot at the state capitol pushing his religion on the entire state while attacking the existence of other religions. Yes, we have a Republican...And knowing Georgia we will have another Republican after him. But I have felt comfortable with Deal, knowing he won't do anything insane to destroy our economy. He at least tries to stay out of the fray when it comes to religious matters. I can't imagine how badly Atlanta's development would be affected if we had a far right governor.

I won't hope for a Democrat in 2018, but if we end of with a psycho like Kemp or Kingston I will be worried for our future development. Much of metro Atlantas growth is thanks to open minded northerners and west coasters, and the open minded business they work for. We elect an idiot who tries to find a new minority group to scapegoat and attack, and we will end up like NC after the bathroom bill.

Originally Posted by Hokiehaven

I agree, I expect another Republican for the forseeable future, but as long as they stay away from the religious zealotry and biogtry, then I can be agreeable to it, even if I would prefer a different approach overall.

There are many things I don't like about Deal and some of his shady dealings, but at least he keeps us out of something so obviously wrong for business and the state like NC, so in that idea, I can respect him for that, but his view on guns and some of his shadiness with education and his daughter is questionable at best.

I get it, it's his base and his family, but still.

I agree, don't give us Kingston or Kemp.

I don't think she could win but Yates would be an interesting name to consider.

Originally Posted by Forhall

Kingston is a nightmare. Read his history of votes. Basically anything decent (violence against women act, protecting endangered species, etc) he voted against, but of course voted for anything pro gun, pro abortion, anti gay, etc. Horrible human being.

Both of you are more than likely right in your assessment that Republicans will continue to hold the Governor's Mansion in Georgia in 2018.

Your comments also accurately reflect that figures like current Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and former Southeast Georgia congressman Jack Kingston are likely frontrunners for the 2018 governor's race.

Current Georgia Lt. Governor Casey Cagle seems to be the overall frontrunner for the 2018 governor's race with a large statewide support of donors and supporters and the most support from (and closest relationship with) the state's business community at present. Cagle particularly seems to have a close relationship with the extremely powerful and financially loaded business communities in metro Atlanta and in Hall County (Gainesville).

Brian Kemp is popular with many rank-and-file Republican voters because he organized the recent "SEC Primary" in 2016 in which many Southern states within the footprint of the college football-crazed Southeastern Conference held their presidential preference primaries all on the same day back in March 2016, making for a 'Super Tuesday' scenario of sorts that increased Georgia's political power in the primary process by teaming it with other nearby Southeastern states.

Jack Kingston gets support from many conservative South Georgia voters, but sometimes seems to have trouble connecting with metro Atlanta and North Georgia voters who are more affluent than South Georgia voters.

Another Republican politician that could figure heavily into the 2018 governor's race is current Georgia state senator Josh McKoon of Columbus, a notable figure who has led the escalating battle in the Georgia General Assembly for controversial religious liberty legislation for the past three legislative sessions.

McKoon appears to want to run for statewide office in 2018, but seems to be currently trying to decide whether he wants to run for attorney general, Lt. governor or governor.

Just McKoon's presence in a major statewide race (like the governor's race) could bring about an explosive resurgence of the highly controversial religious liberty issue in Georgia politics....Which is a major reason why one cannot assume that the religious liberty issue will remain dead after Governor Nathan Deal's veto of last year's highly controversial religious liberty legislation.

The religious liberty debate has the ability to return with a vengeance during the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary and both during the 2018 and 2019 Georgia General Assembly legislative sessions, particularly with someone like Josh McKoon driving the religious liberty issue during a GOP primary dominated by increasingly anxious conservative voters.

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

Both of you are more than likely right in your assessment that Republicans will continue to hold the Governor's Mansion in Georgia in 2018.

Your comments also accurately reflect that figures like current Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and former Southeast Georgia congressman Jack Kingston are likely frontrunners for the 2018 governor's race.

Current Georgia Lt. Governor Casey Cagle seems to be the overall frontrunner for the 2018 governor's race with a large statewide support of donors and supporters and the most support from (and closest relationship with) the state's business community at present. Cagle particularly seems to have a close relationship with the extremely powerful and financially loaded business communities in metro Atlanta and in Hall County (Gainesville).

Brian Kemp is popular with many rank-and-file Republican voters because he organized the recent "SEC Primary" in 2016 in which many Southern states within the footprint of the college football-crazed Southeastern Conference held their presidential preference primaries all on the same day back in March 2016, making for a 'Super Tuesday' scenario of sorts that increased Georgia's political power in the primary process by teaming it with other nearby Southeastern states.

Jack Kingston gets support from many conservative South Georgia voters, but sometimes seems to have trouble connecting with metro Atlanta and North Georgia voters who are more affluent than South Georgia voters.

Another Republican politician that could figure heavily into the 2018 governor's race is current Georgia state senator Josh McKoon of Columbus, a notable figure who has led the escalating battle in the Georgia General Assembly for controversial religious liberty legislation for the past three legislative sessions.

McKoon appears to want to run for statewide office in 2018, but seems to be currently trying to decide whether he wants to run for attorney general, Lt. governor or governor.

Just McKoon's presence in a major statewide race (like the governor's race) could bring about an explosive resurgence of the highly controversial religious liberty issue in Georgia politics....Which is a major reason why one cannot assume that the religious liberty issue will remain dead after Governor Nathan Deal's veto of last year's highly controversial religious liberty legislation.

The religious liberty debate has the ability to return with a vengeance during the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary and both during the 2018 and 2019 Georgia General Assembly legislative sessions, particularly with someone like Josh McKoon driving the religious liberty issue during a GOP primary dominated by increasingly anxious conservative voters.

Kingston may forever be tied to Trump, which could be a good or bad thing as things roll on towards 2018.

McKoon would be the biggest nightmare by far in any of those positions.