I heard last night that my old boss is considering a run for the Senate in 2022. David Perdue was the OG Outsider (except for me) and a terrific senator who was focused on the needs of Georgians all over the state. He lost a close race against Jon Ossoff and that was a big loss to the Senate. David Perdue brings a lifetime of business experience understanding results and economics.
One of the big things he worked on was getting more than 15 senators from both parties to come together to look at best practices for budgeting by looking at countries, companies and states. It was hard to move this on the floor in light of Covid 19 bailouts but this process has always been in his heart. We’ve got to restore an on time budget practice and we need to do it now.
He won in 2014 by being an outsider and I’m happy to have helped him as a staffer on the campaign and then in the official office meeting with Georgians all over the state. I think a midterm election will suit his message better and he will be heard more clearly. I hope he decides to run and I wish him well.
Campaigns are changing. If you are a candidate, you need to know who you are and override your consultants when it doesn’t feel right. Always remember, everyone will know your name; no one will know the name of the consultant unless you are a reporter. Their character and integrity will not be on the line; yours will and don’t shut out the friends and colleagues that have nothing to gain from you one way or another. Trust the people you’ve always trusted and not the people who are latching on to your success. They will tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.
The Republican Party needs a more open and well-communicated approach. Our ideas are better and will lift people up and not put people down. We are not about what’s wrong with America; we are about what is right with America and building on that.
The biggest change needs to be in the general election strategy. Of course, in a primary, it’s all about getting your voters out to win the primary. But in a general election, you should identify groups of voters who may not always vote for you, but could vote for you. You need to be available for digital town halls where you can reach many more people and you need to travel the state with a published schedule where voters can interact with you and you can convince them to vote for you. I know it’s old school, but the new school didn’t work last time.
I believe in our values and I know if every GOP voter in Georgia who votes regularly votes, we will win.
