Kemp. Photo via Office of the Governor.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
APRIL 6, 2021 | You wonder if Gov. Brian Kemp sealed his political future last week when he signed the new voter suppression bill almost immediately after it passed the Legislature, a knee-jerk reaction if we have ever seen one.
Actions result in consequences. The action by Major League Baseball to move the annual All-Star game, originally set for the Atlanta Braves stadium, to another city, may be the least of the results of Georgia getting a new voting law with all its limitations. There will be consequences of this vote until Georgians ditch the Republican control over the Legislature, and curtail the measures instituted by this new procedure concerning voting. We doubt the next election will put Democrats in the majority in Georgia, but it certainly moves that day closer. (However, the upcoming reapportionment of the Legislature may give the GOP-drawing majority a little more life in charge of the General Assembly.)
The new voting laws have already been denounced by progressive thinking individuals and organizations, and drawn several seeking remedies in the courts. It smacks of pure discrimination, while it also criminalizes humane actions of kindness, such as handing out water and food to those waiting in line to vote. How can a Legislature be so crass?
For sure this new voting legislation moves Georgia to the Number One position in our 50 states when it comes to curtailing voting. It was passed in the Legislature by today’s controlling far-right Republican Party, whose members cannot see, and probably are not smart enough to understand, how it not only displeases many Georgians, but makes the state seem parked in the good old days of Jim Crow politics.
These new laws have also been harsh enough to draw out captains of corporate America in Georgia to speak out far more than they have in the past about such an injustice. These firms, Delta, Coke, Home Depot and even the Atlanta Chamber, might not cozy up to the Republican majority as they have in the past. These Republicans must now realize that they may have gone a little too far in this year’s new voting legislation. Unfortunately, these leaders of the business world only spoke up once they saw the pressure of their customers coming out so strong about these new voting procedures.
But back to Governor Kemp: he is already in trouble in the minds of some of the Trump element of the Republican Party for not being strong enough in trying to overturn the 2020 election for Donald Trump.
The Trump base in Georgia promises to remain strong and numerous in Georgia. It may not grow, especially since it’s skewed toward older age and white men, two declining demographics. But it makes up a considerable element of the Republican Party, and could be influential when the party nominates candidates in next governor’s election. Can Brian Kemp even survive his own party? That may be difficult.
But even if Governor Brian should be the GOP nominee, no doubt Stacey Abrams will be a formidable opponent in the General Election! Look what she engineered in upsetting two Republicans in the Senate run-off election in 2020, and changing the make-up of the Senate, and politics nationally! Whoever gains the Republican nomination in the next governor’s race could be the odds-on favorite….to lose.
It’s been a refreshing feeling to know that many Georgians are upset over the new elections laws. And yep, this might prove to have substantially more consequences than the Republicans thought, and even take down a sitting governor.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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