ATHENS -- We told you on Friday morning that Bob Mayzes, the exiting, longtime treasurer of the state Republican party, had endorsed DeKalb County attorney Alex Johnson as a replacement for incumbent party chairman John Padgett.
Delegates to the state GOP convention will vote on the question today.
Among other things, Mayzes accused Padgett of squandering $2 million the party had in the bank when Padgett inherited the position in 2013 from Sue Everhart.
Late last evening, we received the email that Padgett sent out in response. To wit:
Last night, long-time State Party Treasurer Bob Mayzes endorsed my opponent, Alex Johnson.
Bob and I have worked together in the Party for many years - growing the base, building coalitions, and electing Georgia Republicans to higher office. While I am deeply hurt to not have Bob's support, I appreciate his forthrightness and thank him for his years of service to the GAGOP.
I do feel it necessary to correct several of the statements made in Bob's endorsement letter, especially those that unintentionally question the hard work of GAGOP staff, grassroots leaders, and volunteers during the 2014 election.
• "Together we are undefeated" is more than just a slogan - it's the truth. Thanks to your hard work, we won every election up and down the ballot in a year that National Democrats were fixed on turning our "battleground state" blue.
• We raised $6.5 million from various sources including the RNC, RGA, and NRSC. These organizations provided our Party with resources because they trusted our ground game, our victory plan, and our leadership.
• 17 field offices were opened - with money from the State Party and the RNC - around the state with two in Georgia's 12th Congressional District. Thanks to thousands of hard working grassroots volunteers, we used these offices to connect with 1.6 million targeted Georgia voters.
• The Georgia Republican Party spent the money necessary to ensure victory with no run-offs and no losses. The money left in the bank account from my predecessor, Chairwoman Sue Everhart, helped secure victory for all of our Republican nominees in 2014.
• Like I do in my own business, I outsourced several functions of the State Party - such as communications and technology - to save money and ensure unmatched services and products. Rest assured, we are getting the "best bang for the buck" when it comes to how we spend your money at the State Party.
• Unfortunately, former employees have targeted me in baseless lawsuits that must be answered. We are working tirelessly to resolve these accusations without hindering Party operations.
As always, thank you for your strong support of the Georgia Republican Party. I look forward to celebrating the many successes of the GAGOP with you this weekend in Athens!
Sincerely,
John Padgett
Chairman
Georgia Republican Party
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