This year, the 2023 Georgia Republican State Convention was held in Columbus, Ga at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. With the next presidential election approaching, candidates have begun to promote their platforms in an effort to gain support and familiarize themselves with the public.
Georgia’s Republican GOP Convention
The Republican GOP, or Grand Old Party, Convention is a gathering of delegates and members of the Republican Party to elect new members to the Republican Party Organization. Each state has its own convention and this year, Georgia delegates selected a new party leader, Josh McKoon, who will serve in this position for the next two years.
McKoon is a former state senator who will be succeeding David Scharman, who decided to step down after just two years. According to GPB’s Georgia Today, State House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, speaks to McKoon’s ability as party leader, stating that McKoon’s experience with statewide running will allow him to work to successfully unite the Republican party.
Among the delegates and members at the convention was former President Donald Trump, one of the three Republican presidential candidates who attended the event. The other two, were former Arkansas Govenor, Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur, Vivek Ramasway. Other attendees included vice presidential candidate, Kari Lake, and several delegates from Georgia who served as keynote speakers for the convention’s dinner: former Senator Kelly Loeffler, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Representative Rick Allen, and Representative Mike Collins.
The Issue with Trump’s Candidacy
Trump’s attendance of the event was not well received, as recent events have raised the question of whether the former president will make an ideal Commander in Chief. Since 2020, Trump has since been charged on 37 separate counts over classified documents that were illegally kept at his home in Mar-a-Lago. According to the Washington Post, Trump also faces 5 out of 6 shared charges with his aide, Walt Naulta.
Each document was charged individually along with the efforts made by the former president to hide them from investigators, causing him to earn a total of 37 counts. The Washington Post provides a list of the indictments and their respective counts: Espionage Act/willful retention of national defense information (31), withholding or concealing documents in a federal investigation (3), false statements (2), and conspiracy to obstruct justice (1).
Trump’s Response to the Indictments
While at the convention, former president Trump delivered a speech that addressed his recent charges. Fox 5 News reports that Trump used words like “deranged” and “thug” to refer to lead case prosecutor, Jack Smith, and called the indictments a “political hit job”. He also accused President Biden and former Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, of committing similar crimes, making it clear that he feels improperly charged.
Support Despite Conviction
Despite the pushback from residents and organizations such as the NAACP, Trump and his choice words were welcomed with open arms by a passionate group of supporters. A group of about 100 people gathered at the Waffle House on Veterans Parkway to meet Trump and Representative Marjorie Taylor Green. The former president shook hands, signed autographs and even received a posed for pictures with the supporters. According to The Daily Mail UK, Trump continued to speak ill of the indictments, comparing the case to a “witch hunt”. It is clear that the former president believes in his innocence and will continue to act without conviction.
