Saturday, June 29, 2019

Towns County Represented at Big Blue BBQ

From left, Karen Powell, David and Vickie Plunkett, Jim Powell, Bob and Charlotte Sleczkowski

Six local residents represented Towns County at the Rabun County Democrats’ Big Blue Barbeque in Clayton on Saturday, June 29, 2019.

County Democratic Party chair Charlotte Sleczkowski and husband Bob, county party treasurer Karen Powell and husband Jim, all of Hiawassee, and David and Vickie Plunkett of Young Harris joined some 175 Democrats from seven north Georgia counties at the second annual event held at Moonrise Distillery.

Featured speakers were Daniel Blackman, the first black person elected to office in Forsyth County, who announced at the event that he will be running for a seat in 2020 on the Georgia Public Service Commission, and Sarah Riggs Amico, who said she is “giving serious consideration” to challenging Georgia’s junior senator, David Perdue, whose U.S. Senate seat is up for election in 2020.  Riggs Amico was the Democratic nominee for Georgia lieutenant governor in 2018.

Both Blackman and Amico stressed to their fellow Democrats the importance of ensuring “nothing goes unchallenged” by fielding candidates for every state, local, and congressional office (Georgia’s 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one seat in the U.S. Senate) on the ballot in 2020.   Blackman urged voters not to get comfortable or complacent or to settle for mediocrity or simplicity from candidates.  Amico also cautioned to leave nothing unsaid, urging north Georgia activists to stress values and voice the conscience of the country.

Towns County Democrats meet on the second Thursday of each month at the Towns County Civic Center, 67 Lakeview Circle, in Hiawassee.  The meeting is open to the public.  Meetings begin with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. followed by a business meeting at 6:30.  Drinks and dinnerware will be provided.