Several hundred Georgia Republicans, including all four announced GOP candidates for Governor, rallied this past weekend in Northwest Georgia at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport near Rome. As at any good southern political gathering barbecue was served, speeches were made, and a straw poll conducted.
In the race for Governor, state Senator Hunter Hill won 41% of the vote, followed by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle at 30%, Secretary of State Brian Kemp at 17%, state Sen. Michael Williams at 11%, and undecided at 1%.
In the race to replace Cagle, David Shafer won 64% of the vote, followed by Geoff Duncan at 22%, undecided at 11% and Rick Jeffares at 3%.
In the race for Secretary of State, Josh McKoon won 55%, followed by Brad Raffensperger at 20%, Buzz Brockway at 12%, David Bell Isle at 4% and Undecided at 9%.
Sponsored by the Floyd County Republican Party and billed as the “largest Republican rally in North Georgia,” the event has been held at the Tillman Hanger since the late 1990s.