Georgia Republicans push for unity ahead of convention

ATLANTA - The state's conservatives met in Augusta this weekend ahead of next month's National Republican Convention and tackled a variety of issues from party unity to medical cannabis.

During the two-day event, Republicans chose 31 at-large delegates to represent them at the GOP Convention in Cleveland in July.  They also re-elected Randy Evans as National Committeeman and chose Ginger Howard to replace Linda Herren as National Committeewoman. 

Howard said she plans to help conservatives come together in spite of divisions over the party's presumptive nominee, Donald Trump. 

"This is what I said in my speech, 'it's not about a person  It's not about a position.  It's about our country.  It's about our future.  We're in the fight for the soul of this country.  So, let's stop focusing on the presidency or the person; let's focus on the battle.  And if we all lock arms together, whether we were for Ted Cruz or Rick Perry or John Kasich or Donald Trump, we all don't want Hillary Clinton,'" explained Howard.  "That's where I'm coming from.  That's my springboard."

Those who attended the convention also passed several resolutions Saturday including one requesting state lawmakers study providing in-state access to cannabis oil for medical purposes and language urging the state's Republicans to go back to basic conservative ideals.  That resolution was a direct response to Governor Nathan Deal's vetoes of both the religious freedom bill and the campus carry bill, which are considered key GOP issues.