This is a column of opinion and analysis by 13WMAZ's Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Randall Savage.
In case anyone thought otherwise, Georgia's incoming chief executive recently restated his vow to continue embracing his conservative values and pushing legislation that strengthens them.
Governor-elect Brian Kemp fortified his position during a recent interview with some Atlanta media representatives who'd asked if his narrow election victory over Democrat Stacey Abrams softened his stance on some issues.
Kemp, scheduled to take office in January, said, "You can't run from your roots..."
As examples of the conservative issues he'll promote, Kemp named his plans to enact the toughest unspecified abortion restrictions in the nation and to expand Georgia's gun rights provisions.
When it comes to gun rights, Kemp supports what's called constitutional carry. If enacted, that would give handgun owners the right to carry concealed weapons without having a Georgia Weapons Carry Permit.
Seven states currently have constitutional carry laws. They are Maine, Arizona, Kansas, Wyoming, Alaska, Vermont and Missouri.
The in-coming chief executive also wants to protect and enhance religious liberty in Georgia. That protection, he said, would make sure the government doesn't intrude on people of faith and it wouldn't allow discrimination against people who oppose gay marriage.
Kemp formed a transition team that he's calling Georgia First. Throughout the gubernatorial campaign, Kemp stressed his opposition to expanding the Medicaid program that was included in former President Barrack Obama's Affordable Care Act.
Former U.S. Representative Tom Price opposed the Affordable Care Act when it was making its way through Congress. Kemp put Price on the transition team's committee that's dealing with health care issues. Kemp hopes Price can provide valuable assistance in his effort to reject Medicaid expansion while improving the state's overall health care efforts.
Kemp also added former U.S. Representative Bob Barr to his transition team. While in Congress, Barr - a Republican at the time - authored and sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 which, among other things, said the federal government would only recognize marriages between a man and woman.
Barr, an attorney, also led the impeachment efforts against President Bill Clinton. He served as a manager when the impeachment proceedings went to the U.S. Senate for trial and disposition. A manager serves as prosecutor in those proceedings.
Despite Barr's best efforts, the Senate acquitted Clinton and he remained in office.
Barr later switched to the Libertarian Party and became the party's presidential candidate in 2008. He apologized for the man and woman only marriage provisions that he put in the Defense of Marriage Act.
He switched back to the Republican Party in 2012 and now serves on Kemp's Governmental Relations transition team.
During his presidential run and his apology for the man and woman only provisions in the Defense of Marriage Act, Barr said he supported gay marriages. We'll see how Barr's current views blend with Kemp's proposal to prevent discrimination against people who oppose gay marriages.
