Politically Georgia
Your daily jolt of news and analysis from the AJC politics team.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is set to testify before a state Senate committee today. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Geoff Duncan apologizes to mother of Amber Nicole Thurman.
- Marjorie Taylor Greene trades her vote.
- Turning Point Action endorses Mike Collins.
Senate showdown
State Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens is a Republican candidate for attorney general. (AJC file photo)
lliw s’tahw ll’ew yadot eht eht seifitset .elbat etats laiceps edis ehs rehto no no fo detseretni ni gnineppah seye erofeb eb eb sa osla a silliW etaneS notluF inaF tcirtsiD ytnuoC .eettimmoC tuB yenrottA llA
lliw ,yadot meht meht eht taht ediwetats etats neves srotanes gninnur gninnur noitseuq .eciffo fo fo tnanetueil :ronrevog ruof rof rof era era dna silliW .yrelliT eerhT evetS snacilbupeR fO gerG hcooG ,lazeloD ekalB
lliw hctaw ot ot eht eht eht eht eht etats etats thgiltops ecnis yramirp eno no t’nsi si si ni .flesmih evah .lareneg rof gnicaf ,eettimmoc ,riahc yenrotta ehT dnalkcirtS dnalkcirtS .neS .neS nacilbupeR nacilbupeR .treswoC treswoC tuB tuB nairB lliB snehtA
— — raey htiw gniyrt ot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht naht yfitset ehs citnamor pihsnoitaler pihsnoitaler etucesorp eciffo erom .htnom del tsal egduj sti ecnerefretni derih reh evah teg morf rof erusopxe noitcele deifilauqsid gnissimsid segrahc esac esac gnieb neeb yenrotta dna dna tsniaga tuoba a a ’silliW silliW ,edaW .pmurT ehT etaneS snacilbupeR tnediserP nahtaN dlanoD
lliw lliw lliw ohw ,syaw ot ot .emit eht eht eht eht erus emos .noisses neercs weiverp rehto ,ytinutroppo reffo fo fo fo tsom ekam evitalsigel ti stseretni sih ll’eh evah rof gnitepmoc eb eb ecnalab suoitibma osla a elihW snacilbupeR nI treswoC 6202
a“ tahw owt ,yadot ot ”edarit eht ynomitset ehs weiverp no fo etunim ekam ylekil dehcnual ti t’nsi otni .mih reh rof rof ysae debircsed sa tsniaga a silliW yadseuT .pmurT iddahS tnediserP dlanoD deksA diasubA s’CJA
tahW“ uoy uoy ohw erew detnaw ”,worromot esoht llet ehs .dias eno fo si fi :ylrae semoc nerdlihc nac I samtsirhC samtsirhC
Things to know
Democrat Jaha Howard of Smyrna will have a seat in the Georgia Legislature in 2026. (AJC file photo)
eht trats .noisses secar yramirp rehto fo !gninrom evitalsigel si ni ronrevog morf rof .syad syad yawa dna er’eW .S.U ehT ,etaneS dooG s’aigroeG 62 351
:yadot ot eerht sgniht rehto wonk rof era ereH
- Former Cobb County school board member Jaha Howard defeated former state Rep. Roger Bruce for a seat in the state Senate on Tuesday, the AJC’s Maya T. Prabhu reports.
- South Fulton Mayor khalid “Kobi” kamau will go to trial in February on a criminal trespass charge. He’s accused of entering a house he did not own in 2023, the AJC’s Jozsef Papp reports.
- Georgia residents have just under a month left to buy health insurance for 2026 through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, the AJC’s Ariel Hart reports.
Geoff Duncan is a Democratic candidate for governor. He formerly was the state’s lieutenant governor and a Republican. (Greg Bluestein/AJC)
tnayobmalf“ namow ohw nehw yeht yltrohs dias fo rehtom tem etelpmocni ni sih reh eh .ronrevog evag morf rof deid snoitacilpmoc ngiapmac ”ygolopa decnuonna na retfa retfa ,noitroba a a ,namruhT ehT elociN aigroeG ffoeG nacnuD tarcomeD rebmA 2202
— ,ohw eht taht dewaltuo ecno tnanetueil wal wal si si ronrevog remrof rof latef detceted .htaed caidrac emalb dekcab sa setacovda ytivitca snoitroba a a a s’namruhT ,nacilbupeR aigroeG nacnuD 9102
)eH(“ fi‘ .raey dluow keew saw oot ot siht siht siht eht taht deklat dias elbatdnuor ylno ton ym ,ssem ssem em lanretam .etal nwonk s’ti ’.ti htlaeh eh eh evah dah lairotanrebug gniog rof desrodne reilrae gnirud enod ”,rethguad tsoc .ngiapmac eb tuoba a a smailliW smailliW ,lleW ettenahS nosaJ ’sevetsE sevetsE tarcomeD esuaceB
“gnorw krow ot ot eht dehctiws ecnis yltrohs dias laeper degdelp seitrap no wal gnihcnual .ti ti sih eh sah sah .ronrevog rof ngiapmac erofeb dna noitroba eH nacnuD tog”
dlot ot rieht taht gnitnuocer tuo fo ,gniteem sih traeh seog .ylimaf deksa tuoba ’smailliW nehW s’namruhT ehT noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ nacnuD atnaltA
nehW“ I“ ot ot kniht s’ereht eht taht taht taht ,yrots ”,noitautis erecnis s’ehs ehs .dias noitingocer noitcaer niap ylno fo gnihton em si ”.enigami reh reh eniuneg eniuneg .gnileef ,rehtaf denialpxe nac tub sa dna a a a I nacnuD dnA
”.elbatneverp“ skeew saw owt koot ot eht eht etats dias snoitcirtser ylwen wal detnemelpmi reh .tceffe eud deid deyaled htaed noisufnoc erac retfa retfa tuoba namruhT weiveR ytilatroM lanretaM eettimmoC A
State Rep. David Wilkerson, D-Powder Springs, is not a fan of the Trump administration’s plan for national park fees. (AJC file photo)
.raey hcihw ot elffuhser gnihsup nalp skrap reffo txen lanoitan eerf syad kcab era tsniaga noissimda s’pmurT tnediserP aigroeG dlanoD starcomeD
lliw hcihw llew srotisiv ot taht eludehcs yltnecer skrap no wen lanoitan .puenil sti si morf eerf rof eerf-eef retne spord yadhtrib eb sa sa decnuonna dna noitartsinimda elba a s’pmurT pmurT ehT tnediserP nitraM rehtuL gniK htneetenuJ enuJ .rJ ,daetsnI galF dlanoD .yaD yaD ,41
ot ot eht .etats etats trats dezingocer .skrap skrap no ekam noitalsigel srekamwal si gnicudortni sedulcni ni yadiloh eerf laredef laredef t’nod lortnoc yb yna dna noissimda ,nosrekliW tahT etatS ,sgnirpS .peR nitraM rehtuL gniK .htneetenuJ .rJ aigroeG yaD divaD redwoP-D tuB
Listen up
Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King is a guest today on the “Politically Georgia” show. (Jason Getz/AJC)
yllacitiloP“ gnorw tahw tnew snraw ot rieht eht eht eht etats neprahs tnecer tsacdop ytrap no fo .smretdim egassem ni rof .snoitcele sessessa daeha yadoT nehT snacilbupeR nacilbupeR ytraP nooKcM gniK hsoJ nhoJ ecnarusnI ”aigroeG aigroeG renoissimmoC riahC 6202
ruoy uoy reverehw ot ebircsbus .stsacdop ro netsil teg eerf rof nac dna na uoY yfitopS yllacitiloP ,stsacdoP aigroeG elppA
uoy su su eht ?wohs noitseuq moc.cja@aigroegyllacitilop ro ro no evig erutuf rof derutaef .edosipe dluoc tnemmoc llac eb ta ta dna a a a evaH liamE 7925-018-077
MTG gets her vote
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, is marking her final days as a member of Congress. (Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times)
lliw .keew etov etov yadot ot ot eht eht ssap trap no fo ,sronim edam tsal ni reh gnimriffa-redneg rof rof egnahcxe laed erac llib nab a .S.U ehT rolyaT emoR nacilbupeR .peR lanoitaN eirojraM esuoH s’eneerG esnefeD noitazirohtuA tcA
dluow dluow rednegsnart eht yas .srekcolb-ytrebup tneverp fo sdeen sronim gniteem ekam ti gnidulcni ,lagelli gnimriffa-redneg morf rof seilimaf srotcod .nerdlihc erac dna ehT tcetorP stnenoppO ecneconnI s’nerdlihC tcA
— dluow etov ot ot skniht eht eht eht troppus tneps dneps dluohs ehs .dessap desoppo dedeen yenom yenom sredael ti ni reh teg llib esuaceb eb dna detinU eniarkU .setatS nacilbupeR AADN learsI eneerG tuB
setov esu ylekilnu ,yadot ot ot ot eht eht eht ssap ylekil s’ti .ti evah retsubilif raelc nac tub kcolb llib esuaceb etaneS snacilbupeR s’eneerG starcomeD
kcis“ drow htiw saw .etov desu s’yadot ot eht dias fo edam pihsredael ”.ti eh yppah rettel-ruof ebircsed laed era dna lla tuoba a .S.U ,yoR snacilbupeR nacilbupeR .peR ,saxeT-R toN esuoH eneerG pihC
eirojraM“ ydobyrevE“ keew saw etov etov ot siht siht ereht eht eht eht dias thgir no no fo swonk .ti reh deneppah nevig roolf yub .yadseuT yoR lanoitaN tI ”.esuoH esnefeD noitazirohtuA ”,tcA
dluow taht fo retal gnicudortni reh tug .llib na tnemdnema desucca yoR eneerG
Today in Washington
Sgts. William Nathaniel Howard (left) and Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar of the Iowa National Guard were recently killed in Syria. (AP)
:sgnineppaH
- President Donald Trump will travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the return of the bodies of two National Guard members killed in Syria. He will also give a nationally televised speech at 9 p.m.
- The House will vote on a Republican health care package and on a bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
- The Senate will vote on the National Defense Authorization Act and more of Trump’s nominees.
Endorsement watch
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, hopes to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
gnuoy ot eht eht lacitilop etal si puorg dednuof egagne gnisrodne ,sevitavresnoc .ngiapmac yb .S.U gninruT etaneS .peR tnioP ekiM kriK ’snilloC eilrahC ,noitcA
ekiM“ htiw ,seulav ot emit eht taht .tnemetats dnats dias nevorp duorp si ni ”,mih s’eh sah puorg rof rethgif evitavresnoc dna dna niaga a a gninruT tnioP s’aigroeG snilloC noitcA
hcihw .seitisrevinu .worromot ot eht taht kaeps deludehcs lacitilop fo elpitlum si si sah puorg gnirud ecnerefnoc segelloc sretpahc snigeb ta dna ycacovda s’ASU ,ASU gninruT gninruT gninruT tnioP tnioP tnioP aigroeG snilloC tseFaciremA noitcA 5202
I“ ot ot eht ,hceeps .dias suoigiler fo ym larebil ycagel si ni ni ssentaerg ,modeerf eerf gnirusne taefed deunitnoc dettimmoc ngiapmac dna ma .S.U ”,etaneS ffossO s’kriK noJ snilloC eilrahC naciremA
Getting it done
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is running for reelection in 2026. (Screenshot)
— raey krow ot ot hguorht siht sgniht eht eht ,syas noitceleer ,foorp dessap fo fo ni sih sih eh sah teg ruof enod .ngiapmac sllib elsia daeha ssorca ytiliba notgnihsaW .S.U etaneS .neS ffossO noJ
krow saw suominanu owt .gnikciffart rehtegot ot ot ot hguorht eht eht eht sseccus tnecer tneverp dessap rehto eno fo tsom tnaem si gnidulcni gnidnetxe ,tnesnoc lepmoc dlihc yb sllib llib ytirohtua dna dna .S.U ehT ehT secivreS sthgiR weiveR sdroceR ecitsuJ namuH htlaeH tnemtrapeD tnemtrapeD dloC liviC esaC s’draoB .1302
.niev rieht eht eht emas stnenoppo ni ni gnithgilhgih era osla stnemhsilpmocca nacilbupeR s’ffossO esuoH
.raey hcihw keew rednu siht eht eht taht derosnops dengis gnittimrep dessap wal tsal otni reilrae segnahc llib osla retaW .S.U pmurT ehT yeliR .peR tnediserP ekiM nekaL esuoH eH dlanoD ’snilloC naelC .tcA ,tcA
:raey siht eht snoitacinummocelet .hcraeser dessap eno no noitalsigel etutitsni sah dah rof roolf laredef gniyfidoc llib a .S.U snomiS .peR .tS-R ,dnalsI ,retraC ydduB
sniw erehw erew ot hguorht eerht siht eseht derosnops pacer ;segakcap ton .dohtem srekamwal regral secnatsni dedulcni edulcni evah seod yb sllib sa stnemdnema lla lanoitidda sihT
Shoutout
:yadhtrib s’yadoT
- Former state Sen. Judson Hill.
ot eht eht .taht timbus .stuotuohs tuotuohs ton ?rettelswen wen tsuj ,sboj detseretni ni ni ereh mrof rof .cte ,stnemegagne .syadhtrib yadhtrib htrib ,stnemecnuonna osla a a er’eW tnaW s’erehT yllacitiloP s’tI aigroeG kcilC
Before you go
Everton Blair (left) and U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta. (AJC file photos)
elihw saw saw naretev eht eht eht tneduts taes rosseforp yramirp ni dleh eh sah rof desrodne yltnerruc yb ta a .ytisrevinU .S.U .ttocS .peR kcirtaP kcirtaP sttesuhcassaM dravraH .voG s’aigroeG remroF notrevE ,tcirtsiD laveD citarcomeD divaD lanoissergnoC s’rialB rialB ht31
ruoy uoy su .yadot ot ,moc.cja@llehctim.ait dnes ,spoocs moc.cja@yhprum.aicirtap ti redisni ofni ,moc.cja@nietseulb.gerg pissog rof od nac tseb dna dna ,syawla .moc.cja@maeb.mada ll’tahT sA
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the “Politically Georgia” podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the “Politically Georgia” podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
Patricia Murphy is the AJC’s senior political columnist. She was previously a nationally syndicated columnist for CQ Roll Call, national political reporter for the Daily Beast and Politics Daily, and wrote for The Washington Post and Garden & Gun. She graduated from Vanderbilt and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
Patricia Murphy is the AJC’s senior political columnist. She was previously a nationally syndicated columnist for CQ Roll Call, national political reporter for the Daily Beast and Politics Daily, and wrote for The Washington Post and Garden & Gun. She graduated from Vanderbilt and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
Adam Beam helps write and edit the Politically Georgia morning newsletter.
Adam Beam helps write and edit the Politically Georgia morning newsletter.
