Friend –

When I talk about the gumption and political courage we deserve from our leaders, I think about Roy Barnes.

In 2001, as the Democratic Governor of Georgia, Barnes took a stand against the Confederate battle emblem on the state flag — before taking that stand was popular. He knew that featuring the emblem of white supremacist secessionists on a symbol of the state was wrong, and he spent precious political capital in the midst of a tough re-election campaign to change the flag.

Governor Barnes lost that election, but he changed the flag and moved us forward. I looked to his leadership as an example when I decided to ban the Confederate flag on Columbus city property after the racist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017.

At a time when our government is persecuting people because of their immigration status, the religion they practice, or the country where they were born, we must look to leaders with the courage to fight for those on the margins.

We owe Roy Barnes our thanks for standing up for what was right. So as he celebrates his birthday today, I have an important favor to ask.

Will you sign Governor Barnes’ birthday card to thank him for taking this historical stand?

I am honored to have Governor Barnes’ support in this campaign for the Senate. Thank you for adding your name to show how much we appreciate his leadership.

Yours truly,
Teresa