The political aftermath of Lindsey Graham’s death sees South Carolina politics suddenly thrown wide open—but the political consequences could extend far beyond one Senate seat.
In this special summer edition of Dixie Dems, Bob Gatty of South Carolina, Arthur Hill of North Carolina, and Robert Thompson of Georgia examine the fight to replace Graham, Donald Trump’s endorsement of Graham’s sister, and the Democrats hoping to capitalize on a rapidly changing political landscape.
The discussion also covers:
• Whether Democrats can pull off major upsets in South Carolina
• Republican efforts to restrict early and Sunday voting in North Carolina
• Growing election controversy and FBI involvement in Georgia
• The campaigns of Roy Cooper, Jon Ossoff, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jermaine Johnson, John Vincent, and Dr. Annie Andrews
• Allegations involving voter-roll manipulation and so-called “ghost voters”
• Why voters throughout the South should check their registration before the midterms
Could Lindsey Graham’s death help trigger a political transformation in the South—or will Republicans tighten their grip on elections to protect their power?
Join the conversation in the comments.
Dixie Dems: The South has a voice—and it’s blue.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome to Dixie Dems
00:35 Graham Death Fallout
01:11 Trump Endorsement Talk
04:09 GOP Field Opens Up
05:18 North Carolina Race Update
07:56 Election Board Power Grab
10:17 Turnout and Registration Surge
11:09 Georgia Election Fiasco Claims
15:00 Ossoff Humor and Debate Talk
17:13 Georgia Senate Stakes
18:36 Downballot Races Spotlight
19:19 Voter Roll Purges Warning
20:49 Martha Zoller Backstory
22:29 South Carolina Fry vs Vincent
24:03 Haley Talk and Upset Scenarios
26:01 Ghost Voters Investigation
28:50 How to Volunteer and Wrap-Up
For many years, Bob Gatty worked as a writer, editor, and communications consultant, based on the Washington, DC area with a focus on government and politics. He began at The Pittsburgh Courier, an African American weekly, covering crime and the courts. His salary was $55 per week before moving on to two local Pennsylvania dailies. At age 24, he began reporting for United Press International covering state politics in Pennsylvania and then New Jersey, where he was UPI’s state capitol bureau in Trenton.
Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, at age 29 Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen – first Republican Edwin B. Forsythe, and then Democrat James J. Florio, who later became governor of New Jersey and until his recent death was a frequent podcast guest and co-host of Bob’s NFN Radio News podcast (now called Lean to the Left).
After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then freelance Washington coverage for business and trade magazines, plus creative communications services for trade and professional associations, including social media. This work involved articles and analyses of key governmental developments affecting businesses, such as the food and Health industries, retailing, and the environment.
His work as a communications consultant to trade and professional associations included launching and editing association publications, providing website content and social media assistance, and covering conferences and conventions.
Bob retired from G-Net Strategic Communications in 2016 and moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, where he launched his blog site, first called Not Fake News, now known as Lean to the Left.
Hijacked Nation
In August, 2020, Bob and co-author Chris Waldron, one of Lean to the Left's most loyal and prolific contributor, published "Hijacked Nation-Donald Trump's Attack on America's Greatness," a two-volume compilation of blogs regarding Trump's presidency and the consequences for our nation. A followup volume was published by Luna Global Media in September 2024. It is available at https://amzn.to/4ePrTF7 .
In all three volumes, blogs from Not Fake News and Lean to the Left create a virtual play-by-play of key actions of the Trump administration and Congress. For more information, please visit https://leantotheleft.net/books/, and visit Bob's Author's Page on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bob-Gatty/author/B08C7HWXZ5?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=4e603563-7251-4074-b54d-40800c4ce40a.
The Lean to the Left Podcast
The Lean to the Left podcast provides commentary and interviews with newsmakers and others with interesting stories to tell. Video and audio podcasts stream twice weekly on major channels. More info at https://podcast.leantotheleft.net.
The Lean to the Left YouTube Channel
You'll find all of the audio tracks for the Lean to the Left Podcast here plus original videos, including complete video versions of each podcast.
https://www.youtube.com/@LeantotheLeft.
