Politically Georgia

Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon joins the podcast on the eve of a fundraising trip that brings Donald Trump to Atlanta. McKoon tells the hosts he’s confident that the Georgia GOP will have the financial resources and organizational infrastructure needed to deliver the state to Trump in November.      McKoon goes on to defend Trump’s decision to call for individual states to pass their o...

Veteran Republican political consultant Heath Garrett joins the podcast to discuss strategies GOP candidates are likely to use to try to blunt the impact the overturning of Roe v. Wade is having in energizing Democratic voters to turn out in key races. How will it affect Georgia races?     Then, Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz discusses how he is trying to navigate the political tumult that...

Former Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan joins the podcast after the No Labels organization announced it won’t field an independent candidate for president. Duncan speaks from the perspective of one of the possible candidates interviewed for the position.    Then, a powerful gas lobbying group is running ads in Georgia and a handful of other states attacking the Biden administration’s new rule whi...

The First Lady of Georgia, Marty Kemp, says she hasn’t decided whether to vote for Donald Trump despite her husband's statement that the former president would be “better than Joe Biden.”    But first, Melita Easters, founder and executive director of the Georgia WIN List, joins the podcast to discuss how her organization goes about identifying and supporting pro-choice Democratic women for seats...

Even as Governor Kemp has invested heavily in making Georgia a center for electric vehicle production, a powerful gas lobbying group is running ads here and in other states criticizing new Biden administration regulations that will push automakers to ramp up building electric vehicles.   But first, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson and Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul join the podcast to discuss the sta...

Brad Raffensperger isn’t taking any guff from Hollywood star Larry David. The podcast hosts discuss the playful letter Georgia’s secretary of state sent to David after David’s show, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” poked fun at a state law that prevents the distribution of water and food to people waiting in line to vote within 150 feet of a polling place.     But first, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns dis...

Former President Donald Trump is headed back to Georgia as the race to the White House heats up. Trump will be here next week for a major fundraiser.     Meanwhile, Democrats fear President Joe Biden's campaign may not invest heavily in winning here. And are Black voters beginning to like Trump’s message?        But first, a look at how the emotionally fraught immigration bill won passage in the f...

The hosts talk to WABE’s Sam Gringlas about the issues that won final approval, and those that went down in flames as the 2024 session came to an end in the early hours of Friday morning.    Then, Andrew Morse, president and publisher of the AJC joins the podcast to discuss why he’d led the charge to save Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp from mining companies setting up operations nearby. And the panel...

On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch joins the podcast to describe the measures still on the table on the final day of the session.     He indicated the state Senate would likely not take up a measure the House passed overwhelmingly to protect the Okefenokee Swamp. He also said he prefers Governor Kemp’s limited ex...

Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Tamar Hallerman joins the podcast to discuss the in-depth interview she and colleague Bill Rankin conducted with attorney Ashleigh Merchant. Merchant explained the process she went through before deciding to file a motion seeking the dismissal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the election interference case against former President Donald Tru...

The hosts talk to lawmakers from both sides of the aisle about the bills they’re watching most closely as the session comes down to the final two days. Republican state Rep. Marcus Wiedower of Watkinsville starts the conversation by discussing the sports betting bill that he’s working to pass before the session ends.     Wiedower also comments on immigration legislation introduced following the ki...

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to remove Mike Johnson as speaker of the U.S. House. But she says it’s a warning that he needs to embrace issues of importance to her far-right colleagues.     But first, Andy Miller of Georgia Health News joins the podcast to discuss what’s behind the GOP-controlled Legislature’s ongoing rejection of a full Medicaid expansion.     Then, in the state...

Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan is not launching a bid for the White House. Duncan discusses why he won’t be the candidate for president on the No Labels ticket. He also describes his vision for a future for the Republican Party without Donald Trump.     Judith Delus Montgomery, an Atlanta-based lawyer, discusses what’s behind the outbreak of violence in her native Haiti, where gangs have killed at l...

Fani Willis faces more challenges in her hope to begin the trial of former President Donald Trump. AJC reporter Dave Wickert joins to discuss the latest in the election interference case.  But first up, Kendra Cotton, CEO of the New Georgia Project, joins the podcast to discuss the organization’s effort to energize a liberal coalition of voters for the 2024 election.   She also answers questions a...

In the final days of the legislative session, new election bills could be fast-tracked. Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Mark Niesse joined the podcast to discuss the GOP-backed bills.  But first, University of Georgia Israel Institute Teaching Fellow Eli Sperling discusses the war between Israel and Hamas. The hosts look at the hornet’s nest of controversy U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer stirred up...

Laken Riley’s father sits down for an interview with NBC about his daughter’s tragic killing. He is angry that her tragic death is being politicized.  But first, lawmakers are still looking for answers after electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian paused construction indefinitely on a $5 billion plant planned for Georgia.   Rep. Tim Fleming, (R) Covington joins the ‘Politically Georgia’ podcast to di...

With just a handful of working days left, time is running out for bills to pass in the Legislature. The stakes are even higher as the biennial session wraps up.   Atlanta Journal-Constitution legislative reporters Maya T. Prabhu and James Salzer join the podcast to look at some of the major bills that are still being debated as the session winds down to a finish.    Emory University law professor...

Just an hour before “Politically Georgia” aired, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could continue prosecuting the election interference case against former President Donald Trump. But only if she drops her special prosecutor and former love interest Nathan Wade from the case.     Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor Shannon McCaffrey and Georgia State law pro...

There's new momentum building around a bill to provide school vouchers to Georgia families. Gov. Brian Kemp helped turn up the heat, posting on X: "When it comes to getting school choice done in Georgia, there are no more next years."  The state House had a scheduled vote on the matter an hour after "Politically Georgia" aired.    But first, state House Minority Leader James Beverly joins the podc...

Georgia gave President Biden the votes to make him the Democratic nominee, and the state joined three others that voted Tuesday to put former president Trump over the top. On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell give a complete presidential primary night recap.      Then: AJC reporter Zach Hansen joins the podcast to d...

On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy, Bill Nigut and Greg Bluestein talk primary day. Democratic U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams joins the podcast to talk about President Joe Biden’s chances to win Georgia once again in November. Will turnout today give us clues?     Then: Democratic state Rep. Ruwa Romman tells the hosts why she’s u...

On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell Georgia's presidential primary. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Mark Niesse and political science professors Charles Bullock and Karen Owen assess the low turnout and discuss what we may nevertheless learn about the state's voter preferences in a low-turnout primary Tue...

On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell discuss President Biden’s State of the Union speech with Republican Congressman Buddy Carter and Democratic state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver. They ask whether Marjorie Taylor Greene’s disruption of the speech, which she’s done before, is adding to a growing lack of...

Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia Podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Greg Bluestein are joined by AP politics reporter Meg Kinnard and top Georgia Nikki Haley supporter Eric Tanenblatt to discuss how Donald Trump President Biden will work to attract Haley supporters now that she’s dropped out of the race. Then, they look at what to expect when both Trump and Biden both go...

After being soundly defeated in the Super Tuesday primaries across the country, Nikki Haley has suspended her presidential campaign Wednesday morning. On today's episode of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Tia Mitchell and Patricia Murphy look at how the matchup between President Biden and Donald Trump will impact Georgia's primary as the general election essen...