Thread by @donwill94062871

Lets talk about grassroot activists and enthusiasm

I will give you my GA centric POV from 2020- present plus looking towards 2024 nationally.

I am sure other states are seeing the same thing I saw and continue to see.

This is my story.
1/

In 2020 I attended my local Mass Precinct meeting. I was the ONLY person from my precinct to show up. There was no one else on the list.
I was new to the process. I hoped to be educated and learn more.
No one ever called or emailed me. I called my local county 10 times asking
2/

What do I need to do? I have time on my hands.
No answer.

So what did I do? I connected with @ScottPresler and others.
We learned how to register voters.
I wore my Trump 2020 shirt on the weekends everywhere. I registered voters who asked qs about my shirt.
I set up events
3/

At local businesses who were amenable for sign waving and voter registration bc my local county GOP was not using me.
I got involved in the Trump car rallies in ATL. Spoke to so many people who experienced the same thing.
So we did our own thing.
Sign waving, parades, etc
4/

We trusted our electeds to do what was right. We had ZERO training on poll watching, etc even though we were begging the coaches to put us in.
Why didnt they want the grassroots involved?

I FINALLY received an email in Dec 2020 bc I was a 'precinct chair' to attend a meeting
5/

I still had ZERO idea what it even meant to be a precinct chair.
I attended that packed to capacity meeting.
Everyone was furious about what happened in GA. I spoke up. I said I understand you are angry. But we are here, so many new people, use us.
6/

A new administration came into power in my county a few months later.
Our former chair, whose entire platform was based on engaging Grassroots activists, ran for GA GOP Chair. The same person who never returned my phone calls during 2020.
7/

In 2020 the grassroots did their own thing.

In 2021, we were educated and became engaged in the process. I attended the convention, which had record attendance. Which, if memory serves, had around 1500 people.
I hosted events at my home leading up to that event that signed up
8/

10+ precinct officers around my county who attended the convention. For the record, I like @DavidShafer but I asked all of the candidates for GAGOP chair what would they have done differently in 2020, and what lessons they learned. I didnt vote for David even though I was told
9/

He asked people to lobby me specifically for my support. I just couldn't. He and Jason lost in 2020. We needed a new leader.
The majority didnt agree with me so we had David for 2022.

10/

Why do I tell you this?
Because the people who were considered outsiders in 2020 and not invited into the process, are now engaged.
The GOPe is NOT happy.
11/

We saw that in the 2022 primary contest. There was a break between Kemp and the GA GOP
Kemp literally built his own organization to bypass the GA GOP
It helped him bc no one in GA wanted Stacey
But, he and his people did NOT assist Walker.
Even though Mitch asked him to help
12/

How many events did you see them appear together?
Literally, the night before the election in November, they had events 1 mile apart 2 hours apart.
Not one event together
Why?
13/

And since the election, Kemp has been on his own path. Creating a competing organization to the GA GOP.
We were told by the @ajc that the @GaRepublicans convention would not draw people. And yet, it was a record attendance. Standing room only
2700 people.
14/

People that became engaged post 2020. People that have learned to work the system instead of doing their own thing outside of the system.
We have heard so much about the importance of Grassrroots involvement. The GOPe wants a certain type of Grassroots involvement that
15/

They can control.
They REALLY do not like how many people are engaged in the process.

I credit @DavidShafer tremendously with his outgoing speech as @GaRepublicans chair.
He was asked about how the party is shrinking- which is Kemp and the media talking point.

He said..
16/

Our party is experiencing growing pains. We faced the same issues with Pro Life Activists, Ron Paul Activists, and Tea Party Activists.

Imo. The new activists have figured out the @RNC process.
Precinct chairs. In GA we have taken over the process which is why Kemp et al
17/

Have moved to work outside the process.

They want their own financial PACS and for profit orgs.

And I will direct you to @JasonShepherd interview with his BFF @bluestein
Jason was Cobb's GOP chair who did not return my phone calls in 2020.
He was the 'grassroots champion',
18/

He said on @bluestein podcast that 'after Trump loses we will sweep these people out of our party'

Does he have any idea of what is happening on the ground?
I know he leaks to the Press all the time to attack his successor.
He does it on the record and off the record
19/

So let's look at what is actually happening on the ground.
Who is receiving the most small $ donations?

Who is inspiring people to become engaged in the process?

It's not Biden

It's not DeSantis

We have learned the process now. Beware.
20/end