In Ep. 424 of the LMTYWYW Podcast, Doug Shaw joins Dave to cover the primary runoff matchups, Trump’s primary influence and failed coattails, police brutality in SC, and the deaths of Kyle Busch and Barney Frank.
Georgia Primary Runoffs: Governor and Senate
Burt Jones will face Rick Jackson in the Republican gubernatorial runoff — Jones outperformed expectations but Rick Jackson has momentum. Jackson runs the risk of over-indexing on Trump endorsement; he needs to build his own coalition. Lance Bottoms’s entry into the race as a Democratic candidate alongside incumbent Ossoff might actually help Republicans. Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor’s race heads to a runoff between JFK (who benefited from name recognition — people voting for the dead president) and Dolezal, whose campaign was a mess. His Sharia law flyer targeting Dolezal’s Muslim name is tactically stupid in Georgia.
Paulding County: Robert Lane Defeats Colleen Hampton in District Attorney Race
Robert Lane won decisively, 65-35, in the Republican primary for Paulding County District Attorney. Dave had supported the opponent but congratulated Lane afterward. The race was amateur hour on both sides — particularly Hampton’s alignment with the “Justice for Heather Turner” group pursuing a 2017 homicide case obsessively, maligning retired Sheriff Gary Gulledge, current Sheriff Ashley Henson, and a homicide detective (and Dave’s neighbor) . Lane has no general-election competition; his challenge now is learning from the race’s lessons.
Thomas Massie Loses to Trump-Backed Challenger in Kentucky
Congressman Thomas Massie, perhaps the most constitutionally principled member of Congress, lost to Trump’s preferred candidate in a sub-10-point race. Trump won Kentucky by far more, proving his coattails don’t stretch to every race. Massie refused to rubber-stamp Trump and maintained separation from the executive branch — the role Congress is supposed to play. His loss signals the GOP increasingly favors loyalty tests over constitutional governance. Rumors suggest Massie may explore a 2028 presidential run; he’d get crushed, but his standing in principle has never wavered.
Kyle Busch Dies at 41: NASCAR Legend’s Illness and Legacy
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, 41, died shortly after testing a new racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina. He’d been coughing up blood and experiencing shortness of breath; reports suggest the infection may trace back to a ceramic stool incident four months prior that required 24 stitches in his calf. Busch was NASCAR’s winningest driver across all racing tiers, owned a truck team, and mentored young drivers. He was set to race in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte and the Truck Series race this weekend.
Robert Busbee, Ogeechee Judicial District Attorney, Dies of Heart Attack
Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Robert Busbee, 44, suffered an apparent heart attack at a local gym. Busbee replaced Daphne Totten, who notoriously jailed a domestic violence survivor for killing her abuser (conviction later overturned). Busbee restored integrity to the office.
Police Chokehold on White Teenager at South Carolina Baseball Game
A resource officer in South Carolina placed a white teenager in a chokehold and tased him after the teen’s mother questioned a call at a private high school baseball game. The kid stepped on the officer’s foot; the cop hit him in the head with a taser.
Kevin Warsh Becomes New Federal Reserve Chairman
Kevin Warsh, 56, replaced Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair. Warsh looks younger than his age and came from Ohio. Powell remains on the board. Trump praised Warsh in a press conference — then immediately praised President Xi Jinping using the same language, revealing the praise was boilerplate. Interest rate drops expected when the Federal Reserve meets; Connie’s new vehicle purchase timing may depend on rate movement.
Georgia School Board Election: Paulding County Votes to Rein In District
Paulding County voters approved a referendum capping property assessment increases at the inflation rate, forcing the school board to actually vote on millage increases instead of pocketing stealth tax hikes via rising home values. The ballot wording was confusing, but after county Republican leadership posted clarification, it passed. This is a meaningful check on property-tax expansion.
Memorial Day Remembrances and Atlanta Radio History
Dave honored Will Zapp, a fellow service member and purple heart recipient who died of brain cancer likely caused by Iraq service. The conversation drifted into Atlanta radio nostalgia — Southside Steve, 96 Rock, the American Pie bar on Sunday afternoons. Legends Distillery (which made Southside Steve whiskey) is closing. Terrestrial radio is dying; nobody listens anymore.
Barney Frank Dies: 2008 Financial Crisis Architect
Congressman Barney Frank died this week. Frank co-authored the Dodd-Frank legislation that enabled the subprime mortgage crisis and the 2008 financial collapse. He packaged bad mortgages together and sold them, leaving borrowers in perpetual uncertainty about who held their loans. Frank was famously disorganized in appearance despite being gay (contrary to stereotype) and ran a gay prostitution ring out of his Washington townhouse. His departure from the Senate improved the institution.
Closing Thought: Primary Fatigue
Dave is experiencing voter fatigue as Georgia heads into runoff season. Campaign ads have completely cluttered his DVR to the point where he’s considering a complete deletion and restart.
LISTEN
HOSTS
DAVID ROBERTS
A native of South Florida, David Roberts moved to Georgia in his teens. He joined the Army at 18 as a Psychological Operations Specialist and served six years in that role. After he left active duty, Dave served in both Reserve and Guard components. Dave also worked for Wachovia and SouthTrust banks as a business banker and Assistant Vice President. A few mergers led Dave to join his brother, Rob, in the HVAC trade. Eventually, after several years of learning under his older brother, Dave left to go out on his own. In 2016, he started DR COOL Heating and Air in Dallas, GA.
Being a prominent business owner in Paulding County affords Dave the privilege of serving his community while involving himself in politics. Calling himself a “Republitarian,” Dave was invited to host The Let Me Tell You Why You’re Wrong Podcast in 2018.
Ken Pullin
Ken Pullin lives in Pike County with his wife, Shelby, of 20 years. They have two children, Luke and Libby, and a dog, Marley. He works in Business Development for Fintech Payments company and served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2019-2020. He joined the show in March 2023.
*Opinions expressed on the show reflect the views of the commentators and any guests, not those of The Georgia Virtue.
