KeyWay Report: Jay Morgan
President Chris Hempfling presented Mr. Jay Morgan, founder of J.L. Morgan Company, a public affairs, solution-oriented company working with corporations and in community development around core societal issues as our speaker. Jay Morgan provided a candid and demystifying overview of what lobbyists do. In the Georgia General Assembly, there are 180 House members and 56 Senate members. Most non-committee-chair legislators share an administrative assistant with four or five colleagues and may have one intern. Given that nearly 2,000 bills were introduced in the last two-year legislative session, legislators simply do not have the capacity to research and evaluate every piece of legislation on their own.
Jay described his role as providing legislators with accurate, complete, and digestible information — what he called "bite-sized chunks" — to help them make informed decisions. He emphasized that his credibility is his most valuable asset; providing incorrect or incomplete information would permanently damage his ability to be effective. He also noted that lobbyists must be aware not only of the direct impact of legislation but also its unintended consequences.
He also explained the term "lobbyist" itself originated during Abraham Lincoln's presidency in the 1860s when people seeking government jobs would gather in the lobby of the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., waiting for an opportunity to present their case to the President or his staff – hence these job seekers became known as “lobbyists”.
Jay emphasized Georgia is experiencing one of its most consequential election years in recent memory. With open seats for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, and with Senator John Ossoff in his first reelection campaign on the ballot, the political landscape is unusually fluid. Jay noted that approximately 74 days remain before the general election, with early voting beginning in roughly 55 days.
On the Democratic side, Keisha Lance Bottoms emerged from the primary without a runoff — the first time in 20 years that more Democrats voted in a primary than Republicans. Notably, 30% of those Democratic primary voters had not voted in the previous three elections, signaling strong enthusiasm. On the Republican side, Rick Jackson ran a relatively low-cost campaign and emerged as the nominee despite having no prior electoral experience. Jay emphasized that both candidates are untested at the statewide level, making this a uniquely unpredictable race.
Jay strongly encouraged members to educate themselves and their networks about down-ballot races, which will receive far less media coverage despite their significant impact. He also highlighted the importance of becoming poll workers and voting early to avoid Election Day complications such as polling location changes, which can disenfranchise voters who have already invested time and money to reach their assigned location. And in order to overcome possible confusion about one’s registration, Jay recommended early voting, because if there’s a problem with one’s registration there’s ample time to get it resolved – which could be very hard to do on election day.
C.J. Stewart asked Jay about the skills Black youth in the West End should be learning to become lobbyists. Jay recommended getting involved in political campaigns or working in the General Assembly as a starting point. He emphasized communication skills — particularly the willingness to make phone calls rather than relying on email or text — as essential. He also noted that demonstrating initiative, a willingness to fail and learn, and real-world experience in advocacy or government roles are what clients and employers look for when hiring lobbyists.
There were questions about General assembly funding postsecondary education, and the value of technical education versus traditional four-year college degrees, and the burden of student loan debt. Jay argued that colleges and universities have an obligation to counsel students on career outcomes and that there is growing legislative interest in holding institutions accountable for post-graduation employment statistics.
By contrast, Atlanta Technical College was highlighted as a model of effective workforce development. AWER treasurer Melanie Sewell, CFO of Atlanta Technical College, explained that most students attend at little to no cost due to the HOPE Grant (requiring only a 2.0 GPA) combined with Pell Grant funding. The college maintains dedicated staff to track student progress and ensure job placement upon graduation, with a near-100% placement rate. Certificate programs have also proven highly successful, allowing students to enter the workforce without completing a full degree. The college's aviation program, for example, produces graduates who earn six-figure starting salaries. Further, they are graduating with zero student loan debt.
C.J. Stewart announced exciting news about a recently completed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Atlanta to build a state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar baseball and tennis complex in the Bankhead neighborhood, located near the Zone 1 police precinct. The project is estimated to cost between $15 and $18 million and will be the first significant investment in youth infrastructure in that community in over 50 years. City Councilman Byron Amos issued a proclamation in support of the project.
Respectfully submitted,
C.J. Stewart, Jared Evans, Neil Shorthouse
