06/12/2025
Statement on the Georgia GOP Convention in Dalton
What happened at the Georgia GOP Convention in Dalton was a total sham—rigged from the start and designed to silence the grassroots.
It began with the appointment of a convention chair closely tied to the Frost family—someone who had no understanding of Robert's Rules of Order. The microphones were monopolized by McKoon supporters who blocked anyone else from speaking. When the rules were introduced, one of their people immediately called the question, cutting off any discussion. Under proper parliamentary procedure, debate must come before a vote. But the chair ignored that, held a vote, and stripped us of our rights—no amendments, no paper ballots, no transparency. From that point on, it was clear: the grassroots were locked out.
Then came the infamous clickers—devices that never matched the number of credentialed delegates. People raised the alarm, but the chair shrugged and said, "Not my problem." Delegates were forced to vote with broken tools in a broken system, and he didn't care.
And when it was time for nominations, the process was weaponized. Katie Frost, chair of the Nominating Committee, didn't deliver a neutral report. She launched a smear campaign, tearing down the opposition and promoting Josh McKoon's chosen candidate as if it were a coronation. This wasn't leadership. It was personal, unprofessional, and disgraceful. Katie Frost has no business holding any position of leadership in Georgia if this is how she treats people.
I was running for 2nd Vice Chair. I wrote a speech that I was proud of—one filled with hope and purpose. But after witnessing the corruption unfold, I knew I couldn't give that speech. It would've felt like a lie. I turned to my friend and said, "I can't do this." When they tried to silence me backstage, telling me to sit down and be quiet, I stood up instead.
I went onstage and told the truth. I apologized to the grassroots who were betrayed, blocked from microphones, and denied a voice. I spoke from the heart, unrehearsed, because that was the only honest thing to do. Yes, I was heckled. Yes, I was booed. But I kept going, because someone had to say what needed to be said.
Afterward, the convention chair made a petty, unprofessional remark: "I don't know why you'd vote for her." But to his surprise, I made it to the second round. And when I lost, McKoon came up to me and said, "Glad you didn't win." I looked him in the eye and said, "I'm glad too, because I could never work with you." Then I walked offstage—to find people waiting to hug me and thank me for saying what they couldn't. I didn't do it for recognition. I didn't do it to be a hero. I did it because it was the right thing to do.
And I wasn't alone. I've heard from countless grassroots Republicans who are finished with the Georgia GOP. They're done donating. They're done participating. They're done being used. Many are ready to start new organizations because they can no longer associate with a party that lacks integrity, transparency, and respect for its people.
Let's be clear: this entire convention was engineered by McKoon, the Frost family, and the Kemp machine. McKoon needed this win to boost his ambitions for the Secretary of State. Kemp is positioning for a presidential run. And they utilized this convention as a means to maintain their grip on power. The grassroots? We were just there to fund it and be ignored.
We demand accountability. We demand our money back from a convention where we were systematically excluded. We require leadership with integrity, not corruption disguised as respectability.
This isn't over. The grassroots are awake. And we are not going anywhere.
— Norine Cantor
Candidate for 2nd Vice Chair
Georgia Republican Party
