Republican sources confirm to InsiderAdvantage that two presidential aspirants will attend the Georgia Republican Party state convention to be held May 15-16 at the Classic Center in Athens. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. R-S.C., will be visiting the delegates, alternates, guests and media who will flock to the conclave next month. The Palmetto State lawmaker says that if he can raise the money to be competitive, he will seriously consider entering what will be a crowded primary field.
Also visiting Georgia’s party faithful will be U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R- Fla., who has officially announced his candidacy. Some had hoped Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wisc., would attend but his state GOP convention is the same weekend as Georgia’s, so he has to stay close to home. There’s no word yet as to whether former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla, or any other potential candidates will make an appearance.
Republicans are also marking their calendars for next March 1. That will be a big primary day in Georgia and the South for Republican presidential wannabes. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp came up with the idea of a regional GOP presidential primary with over a dozen mostly Southern states including the nation’s second and third most populous states— Texas and Florida— participating.
Georgia Republican National Committeeman Randy Evans analyzes why it is important that presidential candidates visit Georgia and other Southern states early:
“Secretary of State Kemp’s proposal permits the South to have an important say as to who the Republican nominee for president will be. With the 2016 nomination compressed from six and one-half months to around 100 days, the combination of Southern states will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the nomination process. Depending on what happens in February, this new Super Tuesday could actually decide the GOP nominee.”
