Politically Georgia

In a historic decision, the Colorado Supreme Court hasruled that former President Donald Trump cannot hold office again and issued aruling that his name be removed from the state’s Republican primary ballot. Ontoday’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgiapodcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell examine whether the Colorado rulingdisqualifying trump could have implications here in Georgia. GSU law professorAnthony Michael Kreis joins the program with his insights. Then, efforts over the decades to find a workablesolution to how to secure the Southern border and at the same time find arealistic solution for dealing with waves of immigrants and refugees who wantto come to the United States have failed. Former Senator Saxby Chambliss joins our hosts to talk about his timeserving in the Senate and worked to find ways to work across the aisle. And later, Rev. Jane Fahey joins the show. Hear whyFahey was one of the celebrants at the funeral service for Justice Sandra DayO’Connor at the National Cathedral. Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour"Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's404-526-2527.  We’ll play back yourquestion and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’sepisode. Links to today’s topics:Colorado ruling disqualifying Trump could haveimplications in GeorgiaSenate to leave for holidays with border dealJustice Sandra Day O’Connor, lauded as “a human being,extraordinary,” lies in repose at the court Listen and subscribe to our podcast forfree at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smartspeaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas for state employees and educators here in Georgia. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein and Bill Nigut discuss the $1,000 bonus Governor Brian Kemp has approved for 308,000 state employees, teachers and school staff at the cost of about $330 million. AJC education reporter Martha Dalton joins the podcast with details on the bonuses.   Looking ahead to tomorrow, Judge Steve Jones will review Georgia lawmakers’ recent efforts to redraw electoral maps. But will the maps pass muster on being more racially in line with federal voting rights laws? We hear more about the litigation from Democratic Party of Georgia lawyer, Sachin Varghese.   Plus, a group of well-known evangelical leaders have now put their weight behind the measure to combat antisemitism, a bill that stalled this year in the Georgia senate.   Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.   Links to today’s topics: Kemp plays Santa to 308,000 Georgia teachers, state employees with $1K bonus Judge to review lawmakers’ efforts to redraw electoral maps Evangelicals join dispute over definition of anti-Jewish hate   Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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

Republican leadership in Georgia is looking at the possible expansion of Medicaid in Georgia. In this episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell look at the idea floated by Georgia Republicans of expanding Medicaid in exchange for rolling back Certificate of Need regulations. Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver and political strategist Brian Robinson join the discussion.   Plus, Republicans continue to hold out for a deal to increase U.S. border security measures before approving wartime funding for Ukraine and maybe also Israel. Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver and political strategist Brian Robinson   Our hosts also look at a federal judge’s decision that Rudy Giuliani must pay $148-million to the Fulton County election workers that he falsely accused of tampering with the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.   Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.   Links to today’s topics: Georgia House Republicans looking at full Medicaid expansion Giuliani must pay more than $148 million for defaming Fulton election workers Vice President Harris touts Biden funding for HBCUs   Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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 this special edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, we share with you this week’s live Politically Georgia launch party event at Manuel’s Tavern in Atlanta.Hear AJC president and publisher Andrew Morse lay out plans to transform this storied newspaper into a major modern media company.  Morse introduces to the stage Politically Georgia hosts Greg Blustein, Patricia Murphy, Tia Mitchell and Bill Nigut and talks about Georgia’s influence on 2024 presidential elections.Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger joins Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy on stage to discuss how he will ensure fair, honest, accurate elections here in Georgia. The secretary also answers questions from our live audience.Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.  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

The hosts start off with another exclusive from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. We found the apology letters written by two of the attorneys who struck plea agreements in the Fulton County election interference case are just one sentence long and handwritten on lined notebook paper.   Then, Georgia U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson will retire at the end of his term. As his seat is drawn now, his 3rd District is still a GOP stronghold. But Georgia's congressional map is currently under a judge's review. Former 3rd District Republican Lynn Westmoreland offers his insights on the dynamics of the current Congress.   Plus, Vice President Kamala Harris announced she'll attend the Celebration Bowl right here in Georgia. Harris will support her alma mater, Howard University, as it faces Florida A&M University in a showdown between two historically Black colleges and universities. But will this help move the political football, as polls suggest the Biden-Harris ticket has to work on consolidating Black voters? Georgia American Civil Liberties Union staffer Chris Bruce gives us some insight.  And we answer listener questions from the mailbag as producer Natalie Mendenhall makes her "Politically Georgia" debut.  Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527.  We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.    Links  EXCLUSIVE: Apology letters surface in Fulton Trump case US Rep. Drew Ferguson announces he will not seek reelection in 2024 OPINION: Nearly 50 congressmen and senators are quitting. Can you blame them? Vice president to attend Celebration Bowl in Atlanta Poll: A fifth of Black voters want ‘someone else’ instead of Trump or Biden   Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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

The hosts start with news that broke just before they began the podcast: Republican U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson announced he won’t run for reelection after four terms in the U.S. House. Then, Hallerman joins the podcast to discuss the revealing interview she and AJC reporter Bill Rankin conducted with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Will she run for higher office? Will she be in the courtroom as a prosecutor in Fulton's election conspiracy case against former President Donald Trump? How does she respond to GOP critics who attack her on a number of fronts?  Plus, after a deep dive into the petitions collected by opponents of the Atlanta police training center, the AJC, WABE and other media partners find it’s unlikely there are enough valid signatures to put the future of the center up for a public referendum. Bunch joins the podcast to lay out the findings.   Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.    Links  Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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 episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politcially Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell discuss a wide-ranging interview Patricia Murphy and Greg Bluestein conducted with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.  Then, State Rep. Mesha Mainor talks about her support for another effort by GOP legislators to pass a school voucher bill during the 2024 session of the General Assembly. Mainor’s frustration with Democrats’ refusal to support the measure last session led her to change parties and become a Republican.   Plus, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Savannah Bureau Chief Adam Van Brimmer discusses the multibillion-dollar plan to expand the Port of Savannah.   Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.    Links Raffensperger looks to protect election workers Public funding of school vouchers is back on the 2024 agenda Georgia ports to study deepening Savannah River again Officials say Savannah Bridge needs replacing  Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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

Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, The AJC Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut talk with former Governor Chris Christie as he continues his campaign for the GOP nomination for president. In comments related to Georgia, Christie says the road to the White House passes through our state.   Then, AJC health policy reporter Ariel Hart explains what appears to be a significant effort among GOP legislative leaders to consider a full expansion of Medicaid in Georgia, which Republicans have rejected for at least a decade.  Could legislators pass a full expansion of Medicaid?   Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.      Could legislators pass a full expansion of Medicaid?  Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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 episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell dive into a new poll from CNN, published overnight, that gives Donald Trump a five-point lead over President Biden in Georgia. Meanwhile, a new Wall Street Journal poll shows Donald Trump ahead of President Biden for the first time in the national race. What do these snapshots tell us as we’re less than a year ahead from the election? WABE’s Tharon Johnson and Sam Gringlas help break it all down.  Then, Congress is headed for the holiday recess later this week without yet reaching an agreement on new funding for Israel or Ukraine. President Biden is pushing hard for a deal that will include GOP demands for new border finding.   Plus, the new state legislative and U.S. House maps have been signed by Governor Kemp and are on their way to federal judge Steve Jones.   Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.      Links to today's topics:  CNN Polls: Trump leads Biden in Michigan and Georgia as broad majorities hold negative views of the current president Trump Takes 2024 Lead as Biden Approval Hits New Low, WSJ Poll Finds Kemp signs Georgia’s Republican redistricting into law   Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.    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

First up on "Politically Georgia": We’ll dive deeper into Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign with South Carolina-based Associated Press reporter Meg Kinnard. Plus, Republican lawmakers made U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath’s reelection to the House more difficult. But what if they've actually made her a stronger candidate down the road? Then, a federal jury will soon consider how much Rudy Giuliani should pay for spreading pernicious lies about the 2020 presidential election. And it’s Friday, so we’ll dip into the listener mailbag to answer your questions and share who we think is up and down this week. Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 404-526-AJCP. That's 404-526-2527. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the Listener Mailbag segment on next Friday’s episode.   Links to today's topics:Nikki Haley wins backing from powerful Koch network as she aims to take on TrumpRuby vs. Rudy: Giuliani faces Fulton defamation trial next weekOPINION: What if Republicans just helped McBath by targeting her again?   Subscribe to the AJC: If you aren’t a subscriber to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here to get unlimited digital access to the AJC.  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