May 31—VALDOSTA — Former President Donald Trump has a long history of popularity in Lowndes County, and the chief of the county’s Republican Party organization doesn’t see that changing in the wake of Trump’s conviction.

Trump was found guilty Thursday by a jury in New York on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal another crime, specifically paying “hush money” to porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep voters from finding out about an alleged sexual affair between them.

“Those charges were, to use a phrase, ‘trumped-up,’ ” said Gary McMillan, chairman of the Lowndes County Republican Party. “He didn’t do anything wrong. This was a political act, not criminal.”

The conviction would have no effect on this November’s presidential race, in which Trump is a candidate, McMillan said.

The county GOP leader said his own vote in November — for Trump — would not be changed.

McMillan also said he expects Lowndes County’s vote to go to Trump this November. “That’s because we’re predominantly a Republican county.”

In the 2016 presidential race, when Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Republican candidate carried the county with 25,692 voters, or 57.9% of the electorate, while Clinton took only 14,614 votes, or 39.7% of voters. Trump won the presidency that year.

In the 2020 race, Trump carried Lowndes again with 25,692 votes, or 55%, while Democrat Joe Biden took 20,116 votes, or 44%. Trump lost the presidency that year, but has never admitted defeat.

During the 2016 election, Trump visited Valdosta, addressing a rally at Valdosta State University’s P.E. Complex. The removal of several Black people from the rally caused accusations of racism nationwide, which the Trump camp and Valdosta’s then-Police Chief Brian Childress denied.

In December 2020, not long after losing the 2020 presidential election to Biden, Trump again visited Valdosta to back state GOP candidates in runoff races.

Terry Richards is the senior reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times.