In Macon, a few hundred business executives, community leaders and elected officials are gathering for an annual @GAChamber luncheon that’s designed to focus on bipartisanship in a polarizing time. #gapol
Happening now: Republican Rep. Buddy Carter is touting the benefits of a federal bipartisan infrastructure measure that he voted against. (At the time, he said more funding should be devoted to boosting ports, broadband and not a “disguise” for liberal policies.) #gapol
Republican pollster @FrankLuntz starts his speech by entering the crowd, singling out Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop — and praising him as one of the most remarkable members of the congressional delegation. #gapol
Luntz also makes a beeline for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, sitting in the front row, praising him for his “willingness to speak the truth” to Trump when he refused his demands to overturn the 2020 election. #gapol
“Bad.” “Corrupt.” “Broken.” “Terrible.” These are among the words that came up the most when Luntz asked voters to describe American democracy right now.
He adds, scanning the elected officials in the room, “They still have *some* faith in you.” #gapol
I’ve never been more worried about our democracy, says Republican Rep. Austin Scott. But he says he has hope. “In Georgia, there’s friendship across the aisle …” He invokes John Lewis’ “good trouble” to say Georgia has “good trouble” ahead when it comes to economic growth #gapol
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A federal judge ruled Friday that statewide elections for the Georgia Public Service Commission discriminate against Black voters, blocking state officials from holding a November election for two seats that were set to be on the ballot. #gapol
“While delaying elections for Districts 2 and 3 until a later date will regrettably cause disruption to the candidates currently running for those offices, the court does not find that such disruption outweighs the important VRA interests that are implicated,” the judge wrote.
Former NAACP state President @iMajorWish, a plaintiff in the suit:
“This determination assures us that our current claims of voter suppression are legitimate and that Black voters have for generations been prevented from full access to democracy." #gapolajc.com/politics/feder…
"The people need to see the differences between Sen. Warnock and Herschel Walker.” Accused of cowardice, Walker says he’ll participate in a Senate debate on Oct. 14 in Savannah -- though we have scant details on the proposed event #gapol#gasenajc.com/politics/polit…
Warnock aide Quentin Fulks noted the Democrat already accepted three debates.
“Nothing has changed. Reverend Warnock remains committed to debating Herschel Walker and giving Georgians three opportunities to see the clear choice about who is ready to represent Georgia.” #gasen
Walker's campaign says their proposed event would be hosted by WSAV, the Savannah Nexstar affiliate. Warnock had agreed to a WTOC debate in Savannah. #gapol#gasenajc.com/politics/polit…
The scope of the Fulton County grand jury probe into Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election came into clearer focus as court filings indicate that at least a dozen phony Georgia GOP electors have been told they could face criminal charges. #gapol ajc.com/politics/break…
Last week, we reported that GOP chair David Shafer and Burt Jones -- the GOP nominee for LG -- both received target letters. Now we know that 10 other fake electors did, as well. No immediate word on the remaining four electors ... #gapol
"Today we'll show what happened to Mike Pence wasn't an isolated scheme." The chairman of the Jan. 6 committee prepares to outline how Trump's efforts to overturn the election hinged on Georgia and other battleground states ... #gapol
“This is the backbone of democracy. And all of you who have not said a damn word are complicit in this.” The Jan. 6 committee plays a flashback to Gabe Sterling’s state Capitol press conference warning that election fraud lies put lives in danger. #gapolajc.com/politics/elect…
A trio of witnesses – all Republicans who supported Trump in 2020 -- prepare to testify about Trump’s attempt to overturn local election results. First up, Arizona Speaker Rusty Bowers refutes Trump’s claim that he told Trump the AZ election was “rigged.” #gapol
Just in: Stacey Abrams proposes raising the minimum salary for Georgia public school teachers to $50,000 a year if she’s elected governor, part of a four-year plan that would hike the pay of k-12 educators by $11,000. #gapolajc.com//politics/abra…
Abrams says she would finance the estimated $412M annual cost by relying upon revenue from Georgia’s budget without increasing taxes or imposing new fees. She framed the plan as essential to retain teachers and improve the state’s education system. #gapolajc.com/politics/abram…
Abrams on Georgia’s ~$39k base pay for teachers: “That is insufficient. It is impossible to make a living that way.” #gapol