Gaither Campaign for Rural America

Marcus Flowers out-raised every House Democratic candidate in the nation. He raised over $8 million. Mostly in small donors from around the country.

Flowers is challenging Marjorie Taylor Greene in November. His chances of success this election cycle, or any democratic candidate in that district, is about zero. However, that campaign in Georgia is generating excitement and engaging the public like few rural Democratic candidates have in awhile. Regardless of how much money Flowers has, his message matters more. The message has to resonate with voters and their lives.

More importantly, if Flowers applies real pressure on the movement and message of MTG, it can help shore up support for other candidates up and down the ballot. Exposing MTG and Republican enabling for not doing much for her district is the same message that our district needs to hear. 

Republicans like Mary Miller and MTG have a philosophy about our government, about our culture, and about us that doesn’t line up with reality. When these types of elected officials speak, they draw out the darkness within and between us. We all can see the damage. We have to stand up to it, or, it will only strengthen and embolden the worst impulses and forces within our nation.  

In Georgia, the race for Governor and U.S. Senate will be extremely close. Democratic supporters in Illinois seem to believe it will be much easier for Governor Pritzker and Sen. Tammy Duckworth in their campaigns. I would not count out Darren Bailey for one second.

In Georgia, it’s a rematch of Kemp and Abrams. I often am skeptical of these rematches, as the track record in statewide races is generally non-favorable. Local and district races are inherently different. Repeat performers tend to become better candidates by their third or fourth attempt. Politics is not easy.

Abrams really has a strong message, which includes all of the latest critical issues that we’re facing as a nation. She needs all the help from every corner of her state in order to win. This is why the campaign of Marcus Flowers is so vital. 

It’s a daunting task to stitch together a campaign all by yourself as Paul Lange apparently is doing. Despite being handpicked to take on Mary Miller in the 15th District of Illinois, he appears to be content to not get started for another couple months. It’s painful to hear, because a campaign doesn’t just materialize out of thin air if it’s serious about connecting with people in each of these communities. It’s a diverse district, economically.

And, it’s wrong of the party to let Lange languish with no assistance. This is why Democratic candidates are simply not on the ballot in nearly every county in this district. There is no strategy. There is no help coming. And, it’s worse than a shame. It’s a sham. 

Likely, some Democratic group or groups are more than satisfied to let Mary Miller rise while they raise money off of her. I remember all the BS that these organizations were spewing, saying they were going to challenge Miller. They likely were lying and knew it. I don’t know which set of letters to farm out here, 

I hope there isn’t more to this story. I’m concerned that over half of the state will have roughly zero campaigns to inform, excite, and prepare a substantial get out the vote effort in November. On one side, anyways. The Republicans have been getting ready for this election for years. 

And, these races for County Clerk in every rural county will be over today. Except in Moultrie County. That’s a mess that I hope is being managed appropriately by at least some people. I have some fairly disturbing reports I’m attempting to corroborate. 

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Rural communities matter. Our economies are not working for enough people. We have significant infrastructure problems. We need to be taking our power sources and waterways very seriously, and prepare for a better tomorrow. We just haven’t been investing in our people, in our communities for 50 years. 

We’ll never receive investment from Mary Miller or Darren Bailey. Those two are hellbent on increasing our debt and deficits, on blaming both on someone else, and they want their beliefs about others to rule us all. I am glad they have a robust faith that they feel empowered to share and spread. It is their right. They just can’t inflict their rights-limiting views on us through our government. 

We know Republicans like Miller and Bailey want to limit the rights of people to be themselves, to limit choices we have for our bodies and for our families. The only right that they seem to embrace is the only one that isn’t written down as an individual one in our Constitution. 

For these reasons, I do hope Lange decides to campaign now, not in a couple months when the election is already over. I hope he asks for assistance. He’ll need it. I was in 98 parades in 2018. That’s 98 communities. It did make a difference only because I engaged with voters wherever I went. Of course it wasn’t enough.

Just remember, there is a lot of money floating around, being raised and spent. Marcus Flowers raised $8 million through a contested primary. It really exposes that money can be raised in rural districts. It’s just difficult, and, likely, we need a better system of funding every congressional district campaign in the nation. Unfortunately, as I know, to raise that much money you have to spend a lot of money. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with $750,000, which is all that Flowers has left after the primary. That’s not surprising to me at all.

If you had raised that much money, didn’t spend any of it, and then lost the primary, wouldn’t you be upset with yourself? I’d be more upset to have not fought every waking moment for other people. And, that’s what I did. Most worthwhile endeavor I have undertaken. Learned so much about people, these political parties, and a bunch more.