’Law and order’ focus wins praise

Most of Georgia’s Republican delegation wasn’t able to attend in person the party’s national convention, capped by President Donald Trump’s acceptance speech Thursday. But they cheered from afar as they watched on their TV screens and laptops.

Alex Johnson of Dunwoody was particularly impressed with speeches by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and Tiffany Trump, which he watched on a livestream. He said he urged other Republicans to do the same — rather than monitor the broadcast and cable networks that often cut in with analysis from pundits.

“It’s striking to me how there seems to be a different reaction from people who aren’t watching the full live feed as opposed to watching with commentators,” Johnson said.

Kathy Statham of Grayson and Betsy Kramer of Johns Creek took in the proceedings from a vacation condo in Amelia Island, Florida. Statham said people stopped her the day she wore her “Women for Trump” shirt around town.

“People come up to us and they say, ’You’re courageous for wearing that stuff,’ ” she said. “And we say, ’No, we’re not courageous, we’re proud.’ ”

A few delegates ventured to Washington to get a taste of the action. Marci McCarthy, a DeKalb County Republican, loaded her social media feed with pictures of her and RNC speakers, such as Herschel Walker and Donald Trump Jr.

And dozens more were invited to gather at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead to watch the president’s speech on big screens.

GOP candidate for John Lewis’ seat expected to attend Trump speech

Angela Stanton-King, the Republican candidate to succeed the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, was expected to attend Trump’s speech. That would make her the second would-be lawmaker from Georgia affiliated with the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Stanton joined Marjorie Taylor Greene, the 14th Congressional District candidate and a fellow QAnon follower, in receiving a blue-and-gold invitation. Although Greene is considered a shoo-in in her strongly conservative district, Stanton-King has little chance of flipping her Atlanta-based 5th Congressional District.

“I’m so excited to see all of my fellow supportive conservatives yet once again!” she wrote Wednesday on Twitter. “Let’s Go!”

Meanwhile, the two Republican candidates in Georgia’s most competitive congressional races said they did not receive invitations from the president. Still, Karen Handel in the 6th Congressional District and Rich McCormick in the 7th Congressional District both back Trump and have received his support in return.

Several Georgia incumbents also said they would be attending the speech, including U.S. Reps. Rick Allen of Evans, Buddy Carter of Pooler, Jody Hice of Monroe and Austin Scott of Tifton and U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler.