Oconee County, GA Politics

I certainly do not claim responsibility for getting State Representative Doug McKillip defeated, but I did my damnedest to help. The Oconee County Democratic Committee, of which I was elected chair for a second time, did not defeat Doug and elect Regina Quick to the Georgia House of Representatives from the 117th district, but we certainly mobilized voters in the three precincts in Oconee County and informed voters in Jackson, Barrow and Clarke County. There are Democrats and conservative Repubicans who banded together to get McKillip tossed out of office. Some live in the district, others do not. I do not think the McKillips are bad people, but political karma can be a bitch. I would suggest Colonel Hoke Wilder is one unsung hero, having put up 60 signs around Athens and Oconee Counties. A lot of people like my friend Matt Chastain worked hard behind the scenes. Some such as former State Representative Bob Smith recorded radio spots. I did a robo-call but still do not know if they a...

I urge everyone to grab a Republican ballot in the forthcoming primary and vote for those who they think will do the best for Oconee County, Georgia. I have had neighbors and other folks ask me to share my recommendations for this GOP primary. You do not have to declare an allegiance but you must ask for a Republican ballot when you enter the building in the next nine days of advance voting or polling place on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 to have any impact on the local leadership. Early voting has begun and it has been quite brisk at the little brick building next to the Oconee County Courthouse on Court Street in Watkinsville in what is called the Board of Elections and Registration office. I think one other person was in there yesterday when I went in there during my lunch hour. First of all, the easiest election recommendation will be for those three precincts bordering Athens-Clarke County in Malcolm Bridge, Athens Academy and Bogart that have been sliced into the new 117th ...

The chill on conversation at the state Capitol

This is one of Blake Aued's final few blogs for the Athens Banner-Herald and the last two should have the fall out the size of a thermo-nuclear blast. Or if you would rather, this one has a few repercussions that should make the conversation with Blake Aued Wednesday on NewsTalk 1340 WGAU. Congrats to Blake on the new gig at Flagpole. I don't think there will be any shortage of material to write about for the next few months anyhow.

So how does this feel, Doug? To know that your legislation is at least partially responsible for the bombings of five Atlanta area clinics? Is this what God told you to do when you were born again? What does your conscious tell you about unintended consequences? Doctors fear testifying at Capitol  | ajc.com

Crowd Gathers for Candidates Forum in Oconee

I strongly urge everyone in the 117th to support Regina Quick in the GOP Primary July 31st Sincerely,  Dan Matthews Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2012 02:20:31 -0400 Subject: REGINA QUICK in the NEWS - Support Growing! From: angelameltzer.cpa@gmail.com To: angelameltzer.cpa@gmail.com REGINA QUICK IN THE NEWS # 1 It's very exciting to be reporting that Regina Quick is receiving fantastic support from all over the district and, quite wonderfully, very bi-partisan support . BOTH Democrats and Republicans are behind Regina. In addition, support is coming from outside the district too. Seems people from "other parts too" really do want to be rid of McKillip in the State House. For more on the topic: D ouble click the following link for an article that appeared in last week's Flagpole Magazine. http://flagpole.com/news/2012/may/30/capitol-impact/ ******************************************************************************* # 2 Ma...

House candidates disagree on controversial abortion bill | Online Athens

Too bad that the First Friday was cancelled last night - lots of people turned out any way and at least a couple of candidates did as well.  The OCAF event was packed as usual. So in this first early edition of awards - most tongue in cheek - go to: Most illegible signs - hands down, Sheriff Scott Berry, the Old West scripted font is quaint and the brown and tan color scheme make them almost impossible to read from a distance of more than a dozen feet. This has also been the only sign to stolen from my yard, and so far unable to replace despite a couple of attempts. I have seen some Berry signs with an extra outer frame that makes them somewhat easily to notice but not necessarily easier to discern the message. Next time get an graphic artist to consult before pulling the trigger on any massive purchase. And to the miscreant who stole my sign and left the metal stand in the grass, may the affluent effluent of a thousand septic tanks fester outside your broken bedroom window. Mo...

So it seems there is an imposter or at least semi-anonymous poster on the Athens Banner-Herald website onlineathens.com who goes by the seemingly innocuous name of "Obama2012" that has made the same exact post four times in four different articles (all concerning the Regina Quick-Doug McKillip primary race) in an obvious non-whisper campaign at an attempt at somehow backwards besmirching of Regina Quick and questioning her personal live. There are references to Log Cabin Republicans repeated over and over again in this person's stilted and incongruous post that have almost nothing to do with the tenor or subject of the articles except that it includes Regina Quick. This reeks of sleazy attacks and dirty tricks, and I have a pretty good idea of who is engineering this stunt (just can't prove it yet). It is par for the course for the GOP to begin to cannibalize their own who does not subscribe to a certain established orthodoxy. The primary season is beginning to b...