Erick Erickson on the Midterms, Georgia's Runoff, and 2024

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by syndicated radio host Erick Erickson for a look at last week’s election and what it might mean for the upcoming Georgia senate election and the 2024 presidential election.-Erick, a native of Louisiana who grew up in Dubai, had been a practicing attorney for six years in Macon. He handled corporate law, estates, and elections. He served as a volunteer attorney for President Bush’s election and re-election. He managed and consulted on federal, state, and local campaigns. One day a partner in his law firm came in and asked him, “Do you know what the definition of a d*****s is?”“No,” Erick replied.“You,” the partner said. “Go do politics. That’s your passion.”Two weeks before his wife gave birth to their first child, Erick told her he was leaving his law practice to become a full time blogger. Some friends had started the website RedState.com and they wanted to put him in charge of it. That was 2005.Two years later, Erick was elected to city council in Macon, Georgia, where he served until being offered a job on radio full time at WSB.In 2009, CNN hired Erick to be a political contributor. In 2010, the local radio host in Macon, Georgia got arrested then lost his job and the station needed someone to fill in quickly. They asked Erick, given his background on TV.With no radio experience, Erick sat behind the microphone three hours a day every day for three months until they found a replacement. He got paid in an expired gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse. The replacement quickly got promoted to another market and Erick again went back, with no pay, to take the microphone until a replacement was found.While there, a vacancy came open in Atlanta, Georgia on WSB Radio due to Herman Cain’s run for President.On January 11, 2011, during an ice storm that forced Erick to sleep on the floor of his office his first week on radio, he started his show. He has been there ever since.During his eight years on radio, Erick has been a regular guest host for Neal Boortz, Herman Cain, and Rush Limbaugh.A few years ago, Erick also started work on his M.Div at Reformed Theological Seminary. He connects to his audience with a plethora of knowledge about politics, life, raising kids, and even cooking.Erick lives in Macon, Georgia with his wife, two children, and golden doodle.-George serves as President of Data Orbital and Managing Partner of The Resolute Group. For the last decade he has leveraged his political instincts, data expertise and strategic relationships to advance conservative clients and causes throughout Arizona and a growing number of states. He believes conservative policies create thriving communities and wants to arm conservative candidates and organizations with the best data, messaging, and strategy.With a strong grassroots and data background, George has worked at the local, state and national levels. Under George’s leadership, Data Orbital is a top ranked survey research and data visualization firm that is known for its accuracy and transparency. Data Orbital was the most accurate firm that polled Arizona political races and is top rated by FiveThirtyEight. Data Orbital’s survey research has been featured in top news outlets and publications such as The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, NBC News, Fox News, Fox Business, The Arizona Republic, LA Times and others.As managing partner of The Resolute Group, he led the effort to keep the Arizona legislature conservative, playing in the most contentious districts and races across the state. He advises conservative candidates and organizations across the country on strategy. The firm is building a reputation for taking on and leaning into the toughest fights. They aim to shape the landscape, not merely exist in it.George’s engagement is driven by his personal faith and his Lebanese heritage. He knows firsthand the price of freedom and the importance of protecting our core values and Constitutional rights. In addition to his domestic political work, George is engaged in efforts to advance democracy and prosperity in Lebanon and lift up the Lebanese people both in the United States and in Lebanon.George graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, George currently lives in Phoenix, AZ.  When he is not tracking local and national political developments and advising clients, George enjoys traveling with his family and spending time with his two boys.-Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe