GAINESVILLE - Hall County Republications billed their rally Monday afternoon as an "American Freedom Rally" at the Civic Center to get out the vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
County party chairman Paul Stanley said he knows Obama supporters are active locally.
"They've been active but they're not going to get the votes they want," Stanley said. "Just because you get a little heat doesn't mean you get the light with it, and we're a heavy Republican county."
McCain/Palin campaigner Joshua Morris said he's not worried about the polls showing Obama in the lead.
"There is only one poll that matters, and that's the poll that's counted on Nov. 4," Morris said.
Young McCain/Palin supporters from Lakeview Academy held up campaign signs to passing motorists while Republican leaders and their supporters gathered inside to hear speeches supporting their candidates for national and state office.
Heather Styles and fellow students were out for class credit, but also to show young people support the GOP front-runners.
"We're in a political science class, but I am a McCain/Palin supporter and a lot of people in my class support McCain and Palin," she said.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle called Democratic front-runner Barrack Obama's economic policies a failure. Congressman Nathan Deal stressed the importance to conservatives of holding on to Georgia's Republican seat held by incumbent Saxby Chambliss.
Chambliss arrived with his bus tour and blasted both Obama and opponent Jim Martin on the issue of Obama's recent promise favoring Florida over Georgia with Lake Lanier water resources.
"It makes me mad as hell when somebody says they're going to prioritize the waters that we have the right to share in," Chambliss said.
Chambliss said Martin has not thoroughly answered his question about Obama's Florida water promise.
"Jim, what have you done about your presidential candidate and his wanting to take water away from Georgia and send it Florida?" he said.
Chambliss recalled Martin saying Obama did not mean that, but Chambliss said he meant what he said in an effort to get Florida votes.
Tuesday
July 1st, 2025
2:28PM
