COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Republicans on Saturday elected a conservative activist to the Republican National Committee who helped organize the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rally that led to a mob destroying the U.S -Capitol stormed.
Delegates to the convention in Columbus made a split decision, electing Amy Kremer for one of the two RNC seats, but retaining incumbent committeeman Jason Thompson.
Kremer and other challengers argued that Thompson and Ginger Howard, the other incumbent, had not done enough to support Donald Trump. They pointed to party activists’ continued desire for confrontation with internal and external enemies, even as many in the leadership sought to preach unity and ease divisions that have alienated Republican Gov. Brian Kemp from the party organization .
“We need someone who is willing to stand up and fight,” Kremer told delegates. (*6*)
Kremer, who began her political career in the Tea Party movement, was not part of the mob that stormed the Capitol as Congress met to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s electoral victory. But it was her group that secured approval for the “Save America” rally, where Trump told the crowd to “fight like hell.” She spoke at the event and was among the most dynamic fundraisers for the “Stop the Steal” movement, which spread the lie that Biden’s victory was stolen.
Party leaders had advised against voting for Kremer, pointing out, among other things, that she and a group close to her had failed to pay Federal Election Commission fines.
Delegates re-elected Thompson despite attacks that his wife and daughter worked for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the Republican chief election official who defended Georgia’s 2020 election results in which Biden captured the state’s 16 electoral votes. Raffensperger was repeatedly compared to the devil during the weekend convention.
Thompson fell compact of a majority in a three-candidate primary race but won in a runoff.
“Together we will fight the forces that seek to destroy America,” Thompson told delegates. “Together we will win the state of Georgia for President Trump.”
Most speakers urged Republicans to put their internal divisions behind them, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an unlikely ambassador for GOP unity.
Greene, who drew rebukes from fellow Republicans in her failed attempt to unseat U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, told attendees at a party breakfast Saturday that “there’s nothing wrong with a little bickering in the Republican Party.” “But these divisions should stop now.
“If we’re too fragmented, we can’t work together to hit the home run in November,” Greene said. “And that will be a problem. If we go in different directions and don’t work together, we can’t hit the home run in November.”
However, Greene spoke at a convention that was again skipped by Gov. Brian Kemp, who launched a rival fundraising and political effort after Trump attacked him for supporting the 2020 election results. The divide deepened as some party leaders backed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue’s unsuccessful, Trump-backed challenge to Kemp in 2022.
There were some signs of unity. Two Kemp allies, Insurance Commissioner John King and state Rep. Tim Fleming, Kemp’s 2018 campaign manager, both spoke before Congress. This also applies to a larger number of state legislators than last year. Party leader Josh McKoon, a former state senator, said it was part of his attempt to reunite the party.
“That’s another thing we’ve been working on, our relationship with elected officials and how we bring everyone back to the table,” McKoon said.
Republicans have repeatedly said they believe inflation and immigration are the issues that will allow them to win over people who did not vote or vote for Biden in 2020. Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson waved his wallet during a speech Friday to tell delegates how to reach undecided voters.
“Don’t call them names on abortion, don’t call them names on things that may not be relevant,” Thompson said. “Complain to them about what’s really important, right here. This is relevant to every single American. It’s her wallet.”
