Chatham County Republicans meet for awards banquet

The Chatham County Republican Party converged on the Savannah Riverfront Marriott for its 14th Annual Awards Banquet on Jan. 30.

Several Georgia gubernatorial candidates for the Republican Party attended, including State Sen. Eric Johnson of the 1st District and John Oxendine, who is serving his fourth term as the state’s Insurance Commissioner.

Other candidates in attendance were Karen Handel and state representative Austin Scott of Tifton.

At the forefront of the gubernatorial race is John Oxendine, who currently leads in funding and the polls. He does, however, remain humble about this success.

“We are blessed to be in the lead, but we’re working hard like we were in last place.” He also said that the universities are important to the future of the state.

“What makes a state strong is its education and its best displayed by the network of our schools of higher learning,” Oxendine said.

Representative Scott also was open about his view of education, citing a need to support and improve the public education system rather than rely on vouchers.

For higher education, he stated a need to focus on the educators and the students before anything else.

Also present was current AASU student Matt Vickery, who is enrolled in the engineering program. He said he felt it was important to be present at the banquet.

“I am here because the best place to learn about politics is at the local level,” Vickery said.

The keynote speaker at the event, Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, chairman of the Republican House Policy Committee, stressed grassroots activity as a means to the party’s success.

He compared the issues in the nation today with those faced by the generation that fought in World War II.

He warned against the rising power of China, global terrorism, moral relativism and the policies of the Democrats, which he referred to as “the fossilized policies of the past.” Included in his stated goals for the party were the empowerment of individual Americans and the preservation of traditions.

Among the guests that received awards were Pat Gunter, who was the recipient of the title “Volunteer of the Year” from the Chatham County Republican Party.

She has volunteered for 10 years and said she has known Kingston and Johnson since before they were in politics. She spoke candidly about Johnson.

“Eric has the experience to be governor. He’s going to do what he says he’ll do and I trust him to tell me the truth,” Gunter said.

The event was preceded by a private fundraiser for Eric Johnson’s campaign. Johnson emphasized ethics, among other issues, and he said university budgets were a priority.

“We have to focus on pay for the professors. Right now it’s all top-heavy–there’s a lot of money in the bureaucracy. We need to tighten the belt as much as possible,” Johnson said.

Jack Kingston attended Johnson’s event and said he supports the candidate.

“Eric understands the port and that education, an educated workforce attracts business and gives the opportunities a young person just entering it needs. Eric offers that kind of vision,” Kingston said.

Johnson also mentioned that he has raised the second highest amount of campaign funding in the Republican primary, almost $2.7 million of which comes from residents of Chatham County.

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