There is a lot of noise percolating about the national Republican party chair race between Ronna McDaniel and at least two challengers. Here in Georgia, a similar race may be developing between current Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer and challenger Rebecca Yardley, from White County in north Georgia.
Yardley is currently the 9th district chairman and a former chairman of the White County Republican Party. She was a delegate to the 2020 National Convention in Charlotte and is currently employed by the White County School System. She has declined to go right at Shafer so far, but her statements hint at some of the dissatisfaction with current chair.
“Our Party deserves a chairman who is fully focused on taking the steps required to win Georgia elections. I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible work done on the county and district levels,” said Yardley. “Now it’s time to have our top leadership at the state match the same energy, concentration, and drive shown by our local members daily.”
Shafer dove head first into election challenges following the 2020 election, claiming it was stolen and had some harsh language for the office of Secretary of State Brian Raffensperger. Rumors have swirled that Shafer helped to bring in David Perdue as a challenger to Governor Kemp in last year’s primary and he also likely assisted in challenges to the Attorney General and Insurance Commissioner who have been considered Kemp’s people. All of which stems from the bitter division between former President Donald Trump and Governor Kemp after Georgia went for Joe Biden in 2020.
Former state legislator and Republican party activist Buzz Brockway put it thusly, “When leading party officials are assumed to be recruiting candidates against sitting Republicans, people shouldn’t be surprised those sitting Republicans no longer trust the Georgia GOP.”
There have been other rumors that Gov. Brian Kemp and former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler set up their own get out the vote efforts during last year’s elections because of distrust in the state party led by Shafer. Shafer is a close ally of Trump in Georgia and the former president’s relationship with statewide officials continues to be less than friendly because of continued disagreement over the 2020 results. Whoever the next Georgia Republican Party chair is, they will have to walk a tightrope between candidate Trump as he prepares for a Georgia primary and the currently elected officials, including Kemp who is getting some mentions now as a possible presidential candidate.
“If elected, I pledge to remain conservative, honest, and passionately committed to the wise development of our Party, its infrastructure, and disposition of its resources,” said Yardley. “Together, we will win the necessary battles in the rural and metro counties to secure victories for Republicans. Let this chairman’s race serve as our notice to the Democrat Party to send their billions of dollars from New York and California elsewhere, because their efforts in Georgia will be wasted in 2024.”
