MacGinnitie Wins Reagan Day Dinner Straw Poll

Doug MacGinnitie, Republican candidate for Secretary of State, won the Union County Republican Party straw poll on Saturday at the Reagan Day Dinner held in Blairsville, Georgia. MacGinnitie defeated Brian Kemp, the appointed Secretary of State, receiving 62% of the 265 votes cast.

"I am honored and excited to have won the straw poll in Union County," stated MacGinnitie. "It is affirmation that our campaign is continuing to build momentum and strong grassroots support across the state."

The Reagan Day Dinner straw poll marked the first straw poll of 2010, and the first to label Kemp as an incumbent on the ballot. The significant win for MacGinnitie further illustrates that the grassroots party activists have made their decision and want MacGinnitie in the office of the Secretary of State.

"This win reaffirms the belief that Georgians are not looking for another career politician, but rather a successful businessman with private sector experience," stated MacGinnitie. "Our straw poll victories are a testament to our campaign's ability to organize a network of dedicated citizens who believe in our vision for fair and honest elections and job growth."

The effort that MacGinnitie's campaign has put into traveling the state has paid off. MacGinnitie has won eight of the last nine major straw polls conducted by local GOP organizations. Doug won the straw polls held in Cobb, DeKalb, Glynn, Henry, Muscogee, Union and Walker County sometimes by a 2-to-1 margin. The one poll where Doug fell short was in his opponent's old senate district where he still managed to earn 40% of the vote.

"At this point, grassroots party activists who go to these events have already met both candidates on several occasions and are familiar with each," said campaign manager Brandon Phillips. "Even with our opponent now having the advantage of incumbency, the grassroots of our party still continue to stand with Doug. If we learned anything from this win, it's that when voters are educated about the candidates they choose Doug hands down. Our advantage is that we'll have the resources necessary to make that happen come July."

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Handel "All In" For Governor's Race

The following statement from Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel was released today, December 22nd, 2009:

I have spoken to Governor Perdue and informed him that I will resign as Secretary of State by the end of the year.

This was an extraordinarily difficult decision - professionally and personally. However, I know that it is the right one - for the Office of the Secretary of State, the team there, and the citizens of Georgia who have entrusted me with this important position, as well as for my campaign for Governor.

Over the past month, Georgia's economic climate has continued to deteriorate, and we've all experienced disbelief and anger over the actions of some in the State Legislature. As I've considered this new landscape, it became clear to me that, while certainly manageable, serving as Secretary of State while also running for Governor was no longer the best approach for the office or my campaign.

I also took into consideration that I did not want any perceived conflicts of interest concerning my overseeing the primary or general elections, investigating complaints that arise, and certifying the results of the elections while a candidate for Governor and serving as Secretary of State.

Georgia's next Governor must be a real leader with solid, conservative principles, a vision for our state, and the executive/business management experience needed to actually run our state and achieve meaningful progress on the issues we face.

Our next Governor must also have a commitment to ethics reform that is beyond question and a track record of ethical leadership. These are the reasons I decided to run for Governor, and they are the reasons that I am going to win.

So, as we enter the new year, the people of Georgia need to know that I am all in for the Governor's race. This decision allows me to focus 100% on becoming the Republican nominee and winning the election in November.

This decision allows the Governor to appoint an interim Secretary of State to focus completely on the important issues in the agency, including the ongoing situation with the US Department of Justice involving Georgia's voter verification process and overseeing the 2010 elections.

The next Secretary of State will have the benefit of a team of very talented individuals who will continue to serve the office - and the State - with the same level of commitment and dedication that I have appreciated for three years. I am confident that the transition will be smooth, and the people of Georgia will be well served by this team and whomever the Governor appointments to lead them.

Finally, I want to thank the people of Georgia for their trust and confidence in me to serve as their Secretary of State. My thanks, as well, to the tremendous team within the Secretary of State's office for their commitment and hard work.

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Doug MacGinnitie Launches Effort to Increase Voting Opportunities for Military Personnel

Republican candidate for Georgia Secretary of State Doug MacGinnitie today launched an effort to increase opportunities for active duty service members and Reservists serving on active duty to participate in Georgia elections.

Research done by the Heritage Foundation in 2008 shows that 75-80% of military voters from across the United States were disenfranchised by their inability to request and return an absentee ballot within time limits as required by law. To make matters worse, for those who did cast an absentee ballot; local officials often reject military absentee ballots at far higher rates than other absentee ballots.

"Our men and women in uniform are putting their lives on the line to defend our freedoms," said MacGinnitie. "We should do everything possible to ensure they have the opportunity to participate in the most basic of American rights, the right to vote."

In Georgia all absentee ballots must be returned by 7pm on election day. In runoffs, it is virtually impossible for active duty personnel forward deployed in hazardous duty environments; serving on ships or aboard submarines to request and return a ballot in four weeks.

To address this problem, MacGinnitie has created his Military Voting Advisory Committee, composed of veterans and reservists from across the state. Experts from the legal and technology communities will also serve on the committee to assist in their respective fields. The mission is to develop policy ideas to solve this critical flaw in our voting laws.

"Our current Secretary of State has done an outstanding job focusing on stopping voter fraud, and has implemented reforms to help military voters. As Secretary of State, I will ensure Georgia leads the nation in giving active military voters the opportunity to cast a ballot," said MacGinnitie.

The members of MacGinnitie's Military Voting Advisory Committee include:

Brad Carver, Esq., Hall Booth Smith & Slover, P.C.
Brigadier General Walter C. Corish, Jr., GAANG, Ret.
Major General (Ret.) Bruce W. MacLane, USAF
Lieutenant Colonel Oz Hill, USA, Ret.
Jim Lester III, retired CIO AFLAC, former chairman Georgia Technology Authority
Brigadier General Denis Shortal, USMC, (RET)
Craig Thornton, President, Cnetics Technologies

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McCain-Palin 2008 Statement on Ohio / Supreme Court Ruling

Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign manager Rick Davis released the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court regarding the case Ohio Republican Party v. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner:

"Today's decision by the United States Supreme Court does not address violations of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Rather, the Court ruled that Congress had likely not authorized private individuals or political parties to bring suit under the section of HAVA requiring voter registration verification through data-matching. It remains our belief that American citizens should be guaranteed that their legitimate votes are not wiped away by illegally cast ballots. What is no longer in question is the partisan nature of Jennifer Brunner's efforts to minimize the level of fairness and transparency in this election."

STATEMENTS BY GEORGE SHULTZ AND RICHARD ALLEN SUPPORTING JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released the following statements by former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and former National Security Advisor Richard Allen on John McCain's courage, judgment and experience that uniquely qualify him for the presidency.

George P. Shultz, who served as the 60th U.S. Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989, today issued the following statement:

"The next President of the United States must be prepared from day one of assuming the office to address the many complex national security issues that confront the United States and our allies. I can think of no candidate who is more prepared for this extraordinary challenge than John McCain. Back during the days of the Reagan Administration, John was a strong ally in our efforts to strengthen America's defenses, promote freedom and undermine communist dictatorships across the globe. He emerged as a leader on national security issues who displayed a profound and first-hand understanding of the world. Today, we are engaged in a struggle with Islamist extremism and we must have a Commander in Chief who needs no on-the-job training. It is my honor to support John McCain, a man of unwavering convictions who will lead America with integrity, strength and courage."

Richard V. Allen, who served as President Ronald Reagan's first National Security Advisor from 1981 to 1982, today issued the following statement:

"We live in dangerous times and face unprecedented and unconventional national security challenges. How shall we deal with conflicts in The Middle East, an increasingly hostile Russia, a rising China, Islamic extremism and terrorism? To meet challenges of this magnitude, we need a seasoned leader with extensive first-hand experience. John McCain is that leader.

"I had the honor to work closely with Ronald Reagan for more than three years prior to his election, and the honor to serve him when he was President. I have been in the Oval Office in times of crisis and when tough policy choices had to be made. I have witnessed real presidential leadership in action, and know that John McCain is the candidate who has the essential leadership qualities to secure America's future. He knows what it is like to be in the cockpit, and will be on the job from Day One to deal with these unprecedented dangers.

"For twenty-two years John McCain has served his country honorably and faithfully, displaying his courage while in uniform, suffering the very real hardships of a prisoner of war and providing staunch support for President Reagan's foreign policy and national security objectives, never wavering in his support for the President's determination to end and win the Cold War. The decades of John McCain's first-hand experience and leadership cannot be acquired with on-the-job training and briefings by advisors; it can only be learned by determined study and perseverance.

"It is my honor to support John McCain in 2008 as the person with the courage, conviction and experience to lead this country from the first day of his presidency."