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LOEFFLER OP-ED: GEORGIA'S ROADMAP TO A CONSERVATIVE COMEBACK

June 8, 2022

ATLANTA – In case you missed it, Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler authored an op-ed for the Washington Examiner yesterday, analyzing Georgia's historic midterm elections - and laying out a roadmap for a conservative comeback in states across the nation. If other states follow Georgia's lead with comprehensive election integrity laws, strong candidates at the top of the ballot, and a consistent focus on registration and mobilization, then local conservative movements can grow by engaging and energizing voters - and deliver results up and down the ballot in November. Click HERE to view the op-ed, or read the full text below:


A Peach State road map to conservative victory 


Dale Carnegie famously said, “The past is where you learned the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson. Don’t give up in the middle.”


After 2020, Georgia Republicans learned a number of lessons, chief among them: In a red state, the Left’s voter mobilization machine can tip the scales. That year, it raised over $100 million in largely out-of-state funding, thousands of paid staff, and coordination across organizations and campaigns. The fallout of picking off two U.S. Senate seats — and handing President Joe Biden control of the House and the Senate — is still felt by the nation.


A lot could have happened in Georgia after the contentious 2020 elections, but conservatives here didn’t “give up in the middle.” Instead, we passed a comprehensive election integrity law, rallied the base with strong conservative candidates and campaigns, and got back to basics by building the infrastructure to grow, reengage, and reenergize the movement.


The lessons of the last cycle were not lost — and it’s the entire reason why, immediately after leaving the U.S. Senate in January 2021, I started “Greater Georgia.” It’s a data-driven voter mobilization organization with the goal of registering, educating, and engaging conservatives with a year-round outreach apparatus. Over the last 16 months, we’ve made nearly 2 million voter contacts — registering conservatives, working with disengaged and disenfranchised Georgians, reaching diverse communities to build new constituencies, and educating voters on the state’s commonsense election laws. Basically, we’re empowering the voter. The results have been tremendous. In Georgia’s May 24 primary election, 1.93 million Georgians voted — up a whopping and historic 66% from the 2018 midterm primary. Of that, over 1.2 million Republicans cast ballots, up 98% from four years ago. Democrats also shattered their midterm turnout record, up 30% over 2018.


The data get even more compelling. According to Greater Georgia’s analysis of absentee ballot and early voting, or ABEV, data, which are the only data currently available, over 85,000 conservatives who voted in the Republican primary had not voted in any of the last four primary elections. Similarly, over 21,000 Republican voters who failed to vote in the January 2021 runoff election returned this year. The disengaged and disenfranchised are coming back when we do the work to reach them.


Perhaps most under-reported in the media is the dramatic increase in minority voters casting Republican ballots. Compared to Republican ABEV results from 2018, Asian American turnout rose 375%, black turnout increased by 281%, and Hispanic turnout increased by 397%. We’re shifting from transactions to relationships. The historic turnout both confirms proof of concept for Georgia conservatives and shatters the Left’s narratives. For months, hysterical talking points at the highest levels in America decried the Georgia Election Integrity Act as a “racist” Jim Crow 2.0 law.


Actually, Georgia’s SB-202 expanded early voting, codified ballot drop boxes, required voter ID, banned outside money such as Zuckerbucks, and increased fraud protection. It was the centerpiece of the effort to restore voter confidence and bring voters back to the polls after unprecedented changes to elections in 2020. It was a key reason for the record turnout.


Yes, there were contentious primaries with political heavyweights from the top to the bottom of the ballot, but they were rooted in kitchen-table issues and anchored by enthusiasm-building campaigns that turned out the base, the middle, and new voters alike. Amid the fallout of the Left’s policies, such as runaway inflation, open borders, spiking crime, pandemic scare tactics, and the liberal indoctrination in schools, Georgians understood the stakes and took action. The contrast of conservative leadership, which produced a nearly decade long distinction as the No. 1 state for business and the freedoms during the pandemic, provided a powerful backdrop.


There’s still a long way to go until November 2022.


So now is the time to double down. But it is worth acknowledging what has worked. It is clear to me that year-round conservative mobilization is a game-changer. Infrastructure and growth are required, not optional. Campaigns and candidates must continue to work around the clock — there’s no substitute for a voter understanding the stakes of elections. Strong, commonsense election integrity laws also play a critical role because they support, not suppress, turnout.


In the Peach State, that blueprint resulted in a historic turnout in the primary, and for other states, it offers the same opportunity. In spite of the noise from the far Left and the storied strength of the far Left’s machine, it’s time to apply the lessons of 2020.


With them, as Georgia has proven, all signs point to a conservative comeback in November.


Businesswoman and former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler is the founder and chairwoman of Greater Georgia Action.


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Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com

November 26, 2024
ATLANTA – Today, Greater Georgia announced that its 2024 pre-election voter registration push registered over 7,000 new conservative voters and re-engaged over 4,000 inactive conservative voters. Inactive voters are those who had not participated in an election in the last five years - in this case, since at least 2018. "Greater Georgia has become the leading conservative voter registration group in our state - working year-round to expand the tent, rather than taking it down after every election," said Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler. "Since 2021, we have registered more than 55,000 new voters, who just became part of the landslide that elected President Trump. We've proved our thesis that we can keep Georgia red as long as we work year-round, every year, to grow the conservative movement. Today, as we prepare for the next election cycle starting with municipal elections in 2025, we can confidently say that the movement has never been stronger or more energized." Greater Georgia is the state's leading conservative voter registration organization. Since it was founded in 2021, the group has registered and re-engaged more than 55,000 voters. It has also worked to build diverse coalitions and advocate for election integrity. In 2024, the group invested in multiple six-figure campaigns, including an 8-week voter registration campaign that ran from August to October, featuring digital ads, text messages, in-person voter registration drives, and over 115,000 phone calls to unregistered voters. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
November 6, 2024
ATLANTA – Today, Former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler applauded the efforts of Greater Georgia, the Georgia GOP, the RNC, and other conservative groups after Republicans won decisive victories up and down the ballot across the state. President Trump won with a record-breaking 2.65 million votes, the most ever received by a Republican candidate in Georgia. Republicans in the State Senate maintained their 33-23 majority and Republicans in the State House will also preserve their majority, having defended three key tossup districts and flipped one Democrat-held seat. “I founded Greater Georgia to apply the strategic lessons we learned in the 2020 election, with the singular mission of creating a winning conservative infrastructure in our state. Over nearly four years, we have invested millions and worked every day to drive voter registration, diverse community outreach, and election integrity, building a new conservative coalition and solidifying Georgia as a red state,” said Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler. “Last night’s victories, from the state legislature to the presidency, were years in the making. They are a testament to the candidates, campaigns, and preparation of groups like Greater Georgia, the Georgia Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, and other key partners. From the ground game to election integrity, 2024 was a massive step change for conservatives despite being outraised at every level. “We’re already evaluating the data to find ways to sustain these gains for the long term - and I look forward to collaborating with our conservative counterparts to build on this solid foundation to engage Georgia voters and keep our state red.” Leading up to this election, Greater Georgia invested over $1M in voter registration and several get-out-the-vote campaigns, making more than 14,000,000 voter contacts. Greater Georgia targeted - and saw gains from - the following conservative-leaning groups: Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters Voters aged 18-29 South Georgia voters impacted by Hurricane Helene Low-propensity male voters in North Georgia Conservative and swing voters in Fulton County Greater Georgia, launched by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler in 2021, is a 501(c4) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to growing participation in the democratic process by mobilizing and empowering voters. The group works year-round to educate and register voters, engage with diverse and underrepresented communities, and protect election integrity. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
November 5, 2024
ATLANTA – Tonight, Greater Georgia Chairwoman and Former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler issued the following statement after President Donald Trump won Georgia’s 16 electoral college votes in the 2024 presidential election. “Tonight’s win is one of the greatest political victories in modern history. Despite the relentless attempts to jail, bankrupt, slander, and assassinate him – Donald J. Trump has flipped the state of Georgia red in a decisive victory for his America First movement. Voters rejected Kamala Harris’ failed record and, along with millions of their fellow Americans, cast their ballots to restore strength, security, and the American Dream. “This is a significant milestone for Georgia, and I join our voters in thanking President Trump for his relentless commitment to making America greater than ever before, and for the sacrifices of the entire Trump family. The future of our nation is bright thanks to his willingness to fight for it. And as Chairwoman of Greater Georgia, I also thank our staff, volunteers, and interns who have spent nearly four years building a winning conservative infrastructure that just helped move our state back into the solidly red column.” Senator Loeffler is the top donor to President Trump in Georgia, having contributed more than $6,000,000 in support of his re-election campaign. Greater Georgia has made over 14,000,000 voter contacts in the last six months, as part of the organization's effort to register and mobilize voters ahead of the presidential election. Greater Georgia, launched by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler in 2021, is a 501(c4) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to growing participation in the democratic process by mobilizing and empowering voters. The group works year-round to educate and register voters, engage with diverse and underrepresented communities, and protect election integrity. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
October 29, 2024
(ATLANTA) – Today, Greater Georgia announced a new digital ad, text message, and phone call campaign to drive up voter turnout in key Republican counties. Early voting turnout is currently strongest in counties that President Trump won in the 2020 election. However, Greater Georgia is targeting 80,000 Republican voters in four major counties with a turnout of less than 40%: Bartow, Carroll, Walker, and Whitfield. "Republican counties are outpacing Democrat counties on turnout, which is a clear sign that conservatives have the enthusiasm advantage in Georgia,” said Greater Georgia Chairwoman and former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler. “But Greater Georgia is taking nothing for granted – which is why we’re closely watching the data and making real-time adjustments to drive up turnout in key areas. By flooding the state with get-out-the-vote efforts where they are needed most, we will augment our margin of victory – and help President Trump and the entire ticket deliver a clear victory next Tuesday." Bartow, Carroll, Walker, and Whitfield counties are the only Republican strongholds in the state with a turnout of less than 40%. As of this morning, the average turnout in counties that went for Trump in 2020 is 41.5%. The average turnout in counties that went for Biden in 2020 is 38.9%. Several Republican stronghold counties are seeing high turnout, including Forsyth with 56.3% turnout and Cherokee with 49.6% turnout. Meanwhile, Democrat strongholds like Dougherty and Clayton counties have only achieved 28.6% and 36.4% turnout, respectively. This is the latest GOTV campaign from Greater Georgia, which has also launched targeted campaigns to encourage Black, Hispanic, Asian, and young voters to support President Trump . ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
October 23, 2024
(ATLANTA) – Today, following the publication of results from Georgia’s non-citizen voter roll audit, Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler called on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to answer key questions after he initially refused to release the results and misrepresented its findings for more than three months. She demanded greater transparency from Raffensperger and called on him to address the questions raised by the audit's findings. Raffensperger released the results of his audit late last night after Greater Georgia called on him to do so. According to his memo , Raffensperger uncovered 20 non-citizens and more than 156 potential non-citizens on Georgia’s voter rolls that require "additional investigation." Nine of the non-citizens successfully voted in previous Georgia elections. The abrupt admission, which comes in the middle of Georgia's early voting period, is a direct result of Greater Georgia’s advocacy. Last month, Loeffler wrote a private letter to Raffensperger urging him to release the results of his audit but never received a response. It was only on Monday, after Greater Georgia publicly called on Raffensperger to release the results of the audit, that his office suddenly announced its intention to share them. The office said that a previously scheduled press conference would be amended to include the findings of the audit. Raffensperger previously claimed that the audit was completed in July, at which time he announced that it uncovered “zero” non-citizens on the voter rolls. As he said three months ago: "I did a 100% audit. We found no non-citizens on the voter rolls, which means that only American citizens are voting. I just did the second audit, finished it up last week, and we got the same results. So I can tell my fellow Georgians: only American citizens are voting.” Since then, Raffensperger has made similar guarantees about the audit's findings while simultaneously refusing to release them to the public. Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler issued the following statement: "The revelation that 20 non-citizens - and potentially 156 more - have registered to vote in Georgia is long-awaited information that Georgians deserve to know. But it is deeply concerning that our Secretary of State refused to share his findings for months - and during that time, repeatedly and falsely assured voters that ‘zero’ non-citizens were registered to vote. Voters just want the truth - and if state officials continue to withhold or misrepresent it, they will soon erode the trust that has been rebuilt in our system thanks to strong laws and advocacy. “Although the window to demonstrate a commitment to transparency is rapidly closing, I encourage Secretary Raffensperger to embrace it for the remainder of the 2024 election cycle. He should begin by answering the outstanding questions about the non-citizens on our voter rolls." Raffensperger's memo detailing the results of the citizenship audit leaves a number of questions that must be answered, including: Why did it take three months to release the results? Why did Raffensperger previously claim that the audit was completed in July? How did non-citizens subvert Georgia’s voter registration process to become eligible voters, and how will processes be changed to prevent it in the future? When will the review of the 156 additional voters be completed? What accounts for the sudden spike in non-citizen voters, given that zero non-citizens were found on our voter rolls during the last audit ? Were any of the non-citizens among those identified by the Oversight Project? ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
October 22, 2024
(ATLANTA) – Today, Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler issued the following statement after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger agreed to release the results of his 2024 voter roll citizenship audit. The statement comes after repeated outreach from Loeffler - who wrote a private letter to Raffensperger requesting the results of the audit last month. The letter was never answered and the findings were never publicized, even though the audit was first announced in July. But yesterday, after Fox News published a story about Greater Georgia's efforts to obtain the results of the audit, Raffensperger announced that a previously scheduled press conference about early voting would be amended to address the audit. The revised press conference is scheduled for tomorrow. "Three months after the audit was announced and one month after our request, I'm pleased that the Secretary has agreed to share the results of his citizenship audit," said Greater Georgia Chairwoman and former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler. "Although Georgia is well into the early voting period, we hope that his findings and transparency will help bolster voter confidence. A clean, thorough audit would demonstrate that despite the influx of non-citizens under Kamala Harris, only American citizens are deciding American elections." Raffensperger initially announced the audit on July 11, 2024, to uncover “potential non-citizens who may have registered to vote.” According to Raffensperger, the audit was completed just weeks later. He told NewsNation on July 30th: “I just did the second audit, finished it up last week, and we got the same results. So I can tell my fellow Georgians: only American citizens are voting.” In a separate interview on September 23rd, he reiterated: “We’ve done our second audit and we’ll report those results. Non-citizens are not voting in Georgia.” On September 24th, Greater Georgia Chairwoman Kelly Loeffler subsequently wrote a letter to the Secretary formally requesting the full audit results. The organization never received a response to either its certified mail or email outreach. Until yesterday, there was no indication of when or whether the findings would be released. In recent months, states across the country have uncovered thousands of non-citizens on their voter rolls. In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin recently removed more than 6,000 non-citizens from the voter rolls. In Ohio, 138 non-citizens voted in recent elections and hundreds more are now facing prosecution for registering to vote. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has removed more than 6,500 non-citizens from the voter rolls, including 1,930 with a voter history. Alabama even saw an illegal immigrant steal the identity of an American citizen, register to vote with that stolen identity, and successfully cast ballots in the last two presidential elections. The Biden-Harris Administration recently began suing states to stop them from removing non-citizens from their voter rolls - underscoring the need for state election officials who are fully committed to maintaining secure and accurate voter rolls. Greater Georgia, launched by former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler in 2021, is a 501(c4) nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to growing participation in the democratic process by mobilizing and empowering voters. The group works year-round to educate and register voters, engage with diverse and underrepresented communities, and protect election integrity. ### Media Contact: press@greatergeorgia.com
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