The Georgia Teen Republicans (GATRS) is one of two major partisan youth organizations in the U.S. state of Georgia. Founded in 1978 as the Georgia Teenage Republicans and referred to as the TARs, the organization came under the direct sponsorship of the Georgia Republican Party in 1991. The organization changed its name to the Georgia Teen Republicans in 2003 and is now known as the GATRs. GATRs assist the Republican Party and are recognized as an affiliate organization but are no longer directly sponsored.
The Georgia Teenage Republicans organization was founded in 1978 at the same time as the first Teenage Republican chapters in the state. Members of these clubs were referred to as the "TARS." [1] The TARS helped with Ronald Reagan's campaign for President of the United States in 1980. Newt Gingrich was an early supporter of the organization and many of the state leaders over the next decade came from his congressional district. [2]
In 1991, the Georgia Teenage Republicans came under the direct sponsorship of the Georgia Republican Party, with then-Executive Director David Shafer serving as the State Adult Advisor. [2] The organization expanded throughout the state and was particularly active in the 1994 elections with much enthusiasm for Gingrich's Contract with America. In the late 1990s, as the Republican advance seemed to slow, the TARS ceased activity.
The organization was relaunched in 2003 after teenaged volunteers made over 20,000 calls for Sonny Perdue's successful 2002 gubernatorial campaign. The relaunched group dropped the word "age" from the name, becoming known as the Georgia Teen Republicans or GATRS, and losing the acronym TARS. However, Georgia Teen Republicans considers itself a continuation of the earlier organization. [3] [4] [5]
GATRS is governed by an Executive Board and a State Committee. The Executive Board is composed of the seven elected officers and non-voting director positions. The State Committee is composed of the Executive Board and the chapter chairs who choose to opt in. The Executive Board meets on a monthly basis, while the State Committee meets quarterly.
GATRS actively volunteers for the Georgia Republican Party at events across the state. The organization also strives to help local chapters get connected with Republican campaigns in their areas so that they can contribute to Republican victories on election day. [6] GATRS long-term goals are to focus on developing leadership and campaign seminars for teens who want to learn more about the political system.
The organization annually hosts a State Convention. Originally, the state conventions were held in October, starting in 2003. By 2006, the typical convention month had shifted to June. Since 2009, the convention has been held in the State Capitol Building, either in the House or Senate Chamber. [7]
Gwinnett County is a suburban county of Atlanta in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2019, the population is estimated to be 936,250, making it the second-most populous county in Georgia. Its county seat is Lawrenceville. The county is named for Button Gwinnett, one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence.
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National Teen Age Republicans (TARs) is the youth wing of the United States Republican Party. It is mainly aimed at 16 to 18 year olds but some children age 14 to 15 are also able to join. Its aim is to provide support to the party and its candidates. Members work to perform community service, and learn about the political processes at local, state and national level.
The Georgia Republican Party is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party (GOP).
Bob Irvin was an early leader of the modern Republican Party in Georgia in the United States. He was a member of the Long Range Planning Committee in the 1970s, along with Mack Mattingly, Paul Coverdell, Newt Gingrich, and John Linder. He served 15 years in the Georgia House of Representatives, in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. He was the House Republican Leader 1994-2000, known for passing welfare reform and tax cuts. He ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate in 2002, losing to Saxby Chambliss. He attracted attention in early 2005 by publicly calling for Ralph Reed to withdraw from the race for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia.
David J. Shafer is an American politician who currently serves as the Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. He formerly served in the Georgia State Senate. He represented Senate District 48, a suburban district located north of Atlanta and including portions of Fulton County and Gwinnett County. Shafer is a Republican.
Karen Christine Handel is an American businesswoman and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives. A Republican, Handel worked in business before entering politics. She served as chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners from 2003 to 2006, and was thereafter elected Georgia's Secretary of State.
James Randolph Evans is currently the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg. He presented credentials June 19, 2018. He is an American lawyer and Republican Party activist from Georgia who specializes in professional, legal, and government ethics. Evans remains a partner and serves on the U.S. board of directors at Dentons, the largest law firm in the world. He was selected by President Donald Trump to become the next United States Ambassador to Luxembourg. This nomination was submitted to the Senate on September 28, 2017 and was confirmed on May 24, 2018.
William Robert Woodall III is an American attorney and politician who has been the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 7th congressional district since 2011. The district includes most of Gwinnett County, an affluent suburban county northeast of Atlanta. He is a Republican. Prior to being elected to Congress, he worked for his predecessor, John Linder from 1994 to 2010, eventually becoming Linder's chief of staff. Woodall announced in February 2019 that he would not seek reelection to a sixth term in Congress.
Paul N. Bennecke, an American political consultant for candidates of the Republican Party, is the former Executive Director of the Republican Governors Association (RGA). He was appointed to that position in December 2014 and ended his term December 31, 2018, having previously served as Deputy Executive Director and Political Director of the RGA from January 2007 to January 2011.
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A general election was held in the U.S. state of Georgia on November 4, 2014. All of Georgia's executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, all of Georgia's fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives and all seats in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly. Primary elections were held on May 20, 2014. Primary runoffs, necessary if no candidate wins a majority of the vote, were held on July 22, 2014.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Georgia on November 6, 2018. All of Georgia's executive officers were up for election as well as all of Georgia's fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives. Neither U.S. Senate seat was up for election in 2018.
The 2018 Georgia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the lieutenant governor of Georgia, concurrently with the 2018 gubernatorial election, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia will be held on November 3, 2020, to elect the 14 U.S. Representatives from the state of Georgia, one from each of the state's 14 congressional districts. The elections will coincide with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
The 2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia will be held on November 3, 2020, following Senator Johnny Isakson's resignation effective December 31, 2019. Governor Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to serve as Isakson's replacement, effective January 6, 2020, until the special election.
