Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive in Columbus to address the Republican Party’s state convention at 2:30pm this Saturday– an appearance underscoring how important Georgia is in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries.
GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is skipping the convention (he is not a fan of outgoing state GOP Chairman David Shafer) but expect other top Georgia Republicans to be there networking.
“President Trump will be heading a lineup of speakers that includes Senator Kelly Loeffler, who has done a tremendous job as chairman of Greater Georgia; our great Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who will be sponsoring a special event with Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, newly elected Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, and longtime Public Service Commissioner Bubba McDonald,” Shafer has told convention delegates.
“We will also be hearing from outstanding members of our Congressional Delegation: Congressman Rick Allen, Congressman Andrew Clyde, Congressman Mike Collins, Congressman Barry Loudermilk, Congressman Rich McCormick and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene,” he says.
Shafer is not running again for the chairmanship at the convention, so there’s a three-way race to succeed him.
As for the former president, polls in Georgia and nationwide show Trump is the leader by far among likely Republican voters— so far– to capture the party’s 2024 presidential nomination.
Shafer hasn’t released a complete schedule of who is speaking and when at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center, but the following are available agenda details posted on the gagop.org website:
JUNE 9 GEORGIA GOP CONVENTION SCHEDULE
9 a.m.– Registration opens. Committee meetings for nominations, rules, resolutions and credentials. Breakout sessions: Minority Outreach seminar, led by Linda Vega and Shelley Wynter; Statewide Voter Initiative seminar, led by Greater Georgia Action Leadership Institute; and a seminar for new and returning county and district chairs “What We Must Do to Secure Georgia’s 2024 Elections.”
11 a.m.– Breakout sessions, with the same choices as the 9 a.m. options.
2 p.m.– Convention begins, speaker schedule TBA.
5 p.m.– Convention recesses. County chair meetings.
6 p.m.– Registration closes. Reception and dinner.
7:30 p.m.– Keynote speech by Kari Lake, a former TV news anchor and the GOP Republican nominee in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election (mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate).
JUNE 10 GEORGIA GOP CONVENTION SCHEDULE
7 a.m.– Registration opens.
7:30 a.m.—Breakfast.
9 a.m.– Prayer service. Committee meetings for nominations, rules, resolutions and credentials.
10 a.m.– Registration closes. Convention reconvenes for party business, election of party officers and guest speakers.
Noon– Boxed lunch.
2:30 p.m.– Former President Donald Trump speaks. Shafer told InsiderAdvantage it will be the first time in the state party’s history that a president or former president has spoken at its convention.
7 p.m.– Reception with live band and dancing.
InsiderAdvantage is told that former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a presidential candidate, will speak at the June 10 breakfast and former Vice President Mike Pence, who is expected to announce his presidential campaign on Wednesday, will speak via video sometime during the convention. And other GOP presidential candidates could appear.
