Georgia Governor Deal Talks Criminal Justice Reform with President Trump

Aug 15, 2018

It can be hard to envision a more polarizing time for American politics. It is easy to get the feeling that a resolution on the sky being blue would involve vicious discussions on the chamber floors about light refraction and cable news filled wall to wall with panels arguing over the troposphere. In short, there’s not a whole lot folks agree on these days. However, criminal justice reform is one of those few issues.

‘Where’s the blue wave?’ Voter data show Florida Democrats aren’t surging

Aug 14, 2018

While it’s notched four consecutive wins in local bellwether races, Florida’s Democratic Party has lost a share of its registered voters in Florida since 2016 and the percentage of Democrats casting vote-by-mail absentee ballots this month trails those mailed in by Republicans, according to new figures from the state’s elections division.

South Carolina Democrats’ once bright prospects have faded

Aug 13, 2018

By Hastings Wyman –

Things were looking up for South Carolina Democrats. In a 2017 special election in the 5th District, Archie Parnell, a retired Goldman-Sachs executive, ran a surprisingly close race against Republican state Rep. Ralph Norman. Then a 40-year old scandal came to light: Parnell beat his then-wife, dealing a severe blow to his political potential.

How Tax Reform is Helping Southerners

Aug 7, 2018

According to new research from The Heritage Foundation, Americans across the country can soon expect to see some tangible benefits from the tax reform legislation passed by Congress last year. The average household should anticipate savings of roughly $26,000 over a 10 year period, an amount that of course varies by state and income level.

Major Governor’s Races in the South

Aug 6, 2018

By Hastings Wyman –

Three Southern governor’s races will command national attention in November, in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. In the Sunshine State, can the GOP maintain its hold on the top spot in Tallahassee? In the Peach State, will Deep South voters elect their first African-American and first woman governor? And in the Volunteer State, can Democrats manage to recover the governorship and move the state back toward a more moderate role in national politics?

Lee wins GOP governor primary in Tennessee

Aug 3, 2018

Businessman Bill Lee won the Republican nomination for governor in Tennessee on Thursday, defeating three primary opponents, including Rep. Diane Black, the former chair of the House Budget Committee.

A GA GOP Runoff Post-Mortem

Aug 2, 2018

With Republican gubernatorial nominee Brian Kemp riding high after his huge victory over Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in last month’s runoff, it is interesting to note data in all three of the GOP races. The turnout for governor was only a 4 percent decline from May (from about 607,000 to 585,000). I was thinking around 500,000-520,000 would return to the polls, but that turned out to be low. Obviously, a lot of folks– -no matter who they voted for in May— came back on Tuesday.

Trump asserts dominance over Florida GOP with rally for DeSantis

Jul 31, 2018

By Marc Caputo (Politico) –

As a candidate, Donald Trump humiliated former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and crushed the state’s sitting Sen. Marco Rubio.

Roundup of Southern US Senate contests

Jul 30, 2018

By Hastings Wyman –

Today the US Senate has 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats, including two independents who caucus with the Democrats. With more Democratic seats up for election this year than Republicans, the early betting was for GOP gains that would strengthen that party’s majority in the Senate. However, with the political climate in many states trending against President Trump’s party, the outlook for the partisan divide in the Senate in January is highly uncertain.

Strategies for Reducing Rising Crime in Georgia, Nationally

Jul 27, 2018

As a former Senator, I have to say, Georgia is well-represented in the Senate by my good friends Johnny Isakson and David Perdue. You’ve also got three fabulous U.S. Attorneys: Bobby Christine, BJay Pak, and Charlie Peeler. They’re doing a terrific job.