Politically Georgia

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell examine the growing toll of the federal government shutdown on Georgia’s CDC workforce. Producer Natalie Mendenhall brings powerful voices from inside the agency, where hundreds of scientists have faced firings, reversals, and weeks without pay. Then Greg and Tia talk with Yolanda Jacobs, a union leader representing CDC employees, about what she calls a “figur...

Host Greg Bluestein breaks down how Georgia’s 2026 Senate race is taking shape amid the federal shutdown. Republicans Derek Dooley, Mike Collins, and Buddy Carter are all targeting Senator Jon Ossoff, accusing him of putting partisanship over reopening the government. Ossoff, meanwhile, is doubling down on health care and cost-of-living issues to defend his record. Then co-host Patricia Murphy joi...

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy dig into one of Georgia’s most competitive and consequential races on the ballot — the fight for the Public Service Commission. Republican incumbent Tim Echols joins the show to defend his record on energy rates, data centers, and rural solar while making his case for another term. Then Democratic challenger Dr. Alicia Johnson talks about affordability, gri...

It’s Mailbag Monday on Politically Georgia. Hosts Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell tackle listener questions about what happens next in the Fani Willis election case, how Georgia’s new U.S. treasurer could mint a “Trump coin,” and whether Governor Brian Kemp’s political future depends on Derek Dooley’s Senate campaign. They also weigh in on Kamala Harris’ 2028 ambitions, ICE recruiting ads on Atlan...

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell dig into the widening Republican divide over the federal shutdown. Tia shares her recorded interview with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who criticizes her party’s leadership, urges the Senate to use the “nuclear option” to reopen the government, and calls rising health care costs a crisis both parties must address. Greg and Tia also discuss why some De...

At Georgia Democrats’ biggest annual gala, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered a fiery speech denouncing Donald Trump and urging the party to “fight authoritarianism head-on.” Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down how Pritzker’s sharp tone reflects a broader tension among Democrats debating how hard to hit Trump while also reaching swing voters. Then the hosts turn to the Republica...

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr joins Politically Georgia to talk about his campaign for governor, his record on public safety and economic growth, and how he plans to stand out in a crowded Republican primary. Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy press Carr on Donald Trump’s influence, the leadership-committee fundraising fight, and whether “Kemp-style conservatism” still defines Georgia’...

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell take listener questions on everything from Atlanta’s most competitive city council race to whether Democrats need more rural voices on the ballot. They also dig into new records showing Governor Brian Kemp was blindsided by the Hyundai immigration raid, and they answer concerns about Donald Trump deploying troops to U.S. cities — and whether Atlanta could be n...

On today’s episode of Politically Georgia, Tia Mitchell shares her interview with Senator Raphael Warnock about the impact of the federal shutdown on Georgia families and workers. Tia and co-host Greg Bluestein also break down the politics of the standoff and what it could mean for 2026. Then Tia takes listeners inside the Congressional Black Caucus conference, where Georgia mayors, lawmakers, and...

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down the latest twists in Georgia politics. A new poll shows Keisha Lance Bottoms with an early lead in the Democratic primary for governor, but rivals are scrambling for attention in a crowded field. They also analyze a suburban Senate race that underscores Republican strength in the exurbs. And they look at the unraveling of Fulton County District A...

The 2026 race for governor is getting more crowded. Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy sit down with state Rep. Ruwa Romman, the first Palestinian-American elected to Georgia’s legislature, to talk about why she’s running, her push for a higher minimum wage, and her call to build a movement of engaged voters. In the second segment, author Bill Johnstone joins the show to share stories from h...

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is now officially a candidate for governor. In an interview recorded after a campaign event, Raffensperger tells Greg Bluestein why he believes his conservative record can win over Republican voters and how his personal story of loss drives his push to fight fentanyl. Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down what his entry means for the 2026...

Former state Representative Mesha Mainor, once a Democrat and now a Republican, joins hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy to discuss her run for state school superintendent. Mainor explains why she’s challenging incumbent Richard Woods, her push for school choice, and her views on issues ranging from teacher autonomy to school safety. The hosts also unpack how her candidacy fits into Georgia’...

On today’s Washington Wednesday edition of Politically Georgia, host Tia Mitchell is joined by the Washington Post’s Kadia Goba to break down the latest twists in the government funding fight after Donald Trump canceled talks with Democratic leaders. They discuss what a shutdown would mean for Georgia, how lawmakers are reacting to rising security concerns after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, and w...

The shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has set off fierce debates about hate speech, cancel culture, and the limits of the First Amendment. On today’s episode of the AJC’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy talk with civil and human rights attorney Nora Benavidez about what’s at stake for free expression, the detention of Atlanta journalist Mari...

Senator Jon Ossoff joins Politically Georgia to discuss the strain Medicaid cuts are putting on rural hospitals, the fight to extend Obamacare subsidies, and the rising threats of political violence. Washington correspondent Tia Mitchell brings the one-on-one conversation from Capitol Hill. Then host Greg Bluestein answers listener questions on the fate of the Fulton County election case, MARTA ex...

Georgia’s race for governor just got more crowded. Host Greg Bluestein breaks down Brad Raffensperger’s entry into the 2026 contest and what it means for both parties as the secretary of state faces Trump loyalists and skeptical GOP activists. Then Patricia Murphy speaks with immigration attorney Charles Kuck about the federal raid on Hyundai’s mega-plant, why Korean executives were mistakenly det...

Host Tia Mitchell sits down with Georgia conservative activist C.J. Pearson to talk about Donald Trump’s growing support among young and Black voters, Pearson’s rise in Republican politics, and his work to bring influencers into the GOP fold. They also discuss political violence in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, tensions with Governor Brian Kemp, and how Georgia’s 2026 races are shaping...

In a Special Edition of Politically Georgia, host Greg Bluestein sits down with former Republican lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan for his first interview since announcing his run for governor as a Democrat. Duncan explains why he left the GOP, how he plans to take on Donald Trump’s influence in Georgia, and what his platform on health care, abortion, guns, and immigration would look like as a Dem...

Patricia Murphy speaks with state GOP chair Josh McKoon about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, how Republicans are responding, and what it means for security at political events. Then Greg Bluestein and AJC reporter Zach Hansen turn to the Rivian electric vehicle plant, where a groundbreaking ceremony signals new momentum but also raises questions about jobs, incentives, an...

On today’s Monday Mailbag edition of Politically Georgia, host Greg Bluestein, with producer ShaneyB, answers your questions about Georgia politics and beyond. This week, listeners want to know how state leaders are reacting to the shocking assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, why Governor Brian Kemp hasn’t addressed the Hyundai plant raid more directly, and where Republicans stand...

Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy talk with Republican strategist Stephen Lawson about the fast-moving races for governor and U.S. Senate — including Brad Raffensperger’s next move and the viability of Derek Dooley’s bid. Then Charlie Hayslett, author of the Trouble in God’s Country blog, joins to discuss alarming population trends in rural Georgia, where more counties now see deaths than b...

It’s Washington Wednesday on Politically Georgia and hosts Tia Mitchell and Greg Bluestein dig into Governor Brian Kemp’s decision to send more than 300 Georgia National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to support Donald Trump’s federal surge — and why critics say it’s more about politics than public safety. Then Tia shares a taped interview with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who talks ab...

Georgia’s biggest economic development project is now at the center of a political firestorm. Hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy unpack the federal raid on Hyundai’s electric vehicle plant and what it means for Governor Brian Kemp’s economic agenda, U.S.–South Korea relations, and the 2026 Senate race. Then AJC president and publisher Andrew Morse joins the show to discuss the decision to en...

Host Greg Bluestein talks with state Sen. Blake Tillery about his campaign for lieutenant governor, his record as Senate Appropriations chair, and his push to eliminate the state income tax. Then producer Natalie Mendenhall sits down with Georgia Behavioral Health Commissioner Kevin Tanner on “988 Day” to discuss the state’s suicide prevention hotline, how it connects Georgians to critical resourc...