Politically Georgia

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 Mario Guevarra, and why she sees troubling signs of creeping authoritarianism. Then the hosts break down a closely watched special election in metro Atlanta and what it reveals about Georgia’s shifting political landscape. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 expansion, new candidates in Georgia’s 2026 governor’s race, and the fallout from the Hyundai raid. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 detained, and how the incident could affect foreign investment in Georgia. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 up. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Democratic candidate. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, and the future of Georgia’s EV industry. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 on the controversy. Greg also fields questions about COVID-19 vaccines, Lisa Cook’s future on the Federal Reserve, Mesha Mainor’s new campaign, and what Brad Raffensperger’s next political move could be. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 births and what that means for the state’s future. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 about her push to release the Epstein files, her willingness to break with Trump, and why she’s not inspired by any of the Republicans running for U.S. Senate in 2026. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 end the paper’s print edition and what’s next as the AJC goes fully digital. Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at PoliticallyGeorgia@ajc.com. Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices