Just in: A federal judge has struck down Georgia’s congressional and legislative maps, ruling that they violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Georgia lawmakers have until Dec. 8 to draw new lines, setting up a special legislative session. #gapol The ruling is a victory for Democrats and their allies who challenged the maps, contending they illegally diluted the voting power of Black Georgians. And some Democrats were already lining up to run in GOP-leaning districts that could be redrawn. #gapol
ajc.com/politics/why-d…

Brian Kemp on why he’ll back Donald Trump if he wins the GOP nod, even though he tormented the governor for much of the last three years: “Despite all of that, despite all of his other trials and tribulations, he would still be a lot better than Biden." ajc.com/politics/polit… Kemp also urged hardline Republicans in the U.S. House to “pass the damn bill” to fund the government and avoid a shutdown or risk damaging political backlash. And he endorsed maintaining a robust level of military aid for Ukraine. #gapol ajc.com/politics/polit…

A judge has just released the full report compiled by a Fulton County special grand jury that laid the groundwork for the election interference indictments last month against Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants. documentcloud.org/documents/2394… The special grand jury recommended charges be brought against dozens of officials with “respect to the national effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election” — including former U.S. Sens. David Perdue (17-4 vote) and Kelly Loeffler (14-6 vote). #gapol

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns has some pointed words about a far-right Republican’s fantasy push to impeach Fani Willis in a letter to the GOP caucus.
“Targeting one specific DA in this manner certainly flaunts the idea of separation of powers, if not outright violates it.” 1/





“A select few are calling to defund a duly-elected district attorney of this state and her office in an attempt to interfere with the criminal justice system,” Burns writes of Sen. Colton Moore’s politically impossible call for a special session to oust Willis. #gapol

Two former Georgia GOP officials charged in the sprawling indictment against Donald Trump and his allies turned themselves in to authorities early Wednesday at the Fulton County Jail. #gapol

ajc.com/news/latham-sh… Updates:

https://twitter.com/davidshafer/status/1694303972427763731

Fulton County prosecutors are expected to begin presenting their election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his allies to a grand jury this morning. ajc.com/politics/happe… District Attorney Fani Willis is likely to pursue racketeering charges against Trump and a host of his allies related to their work to overturn the results of Georgia’s last presidential election. She could announce as soon as Tuesday. #gapol ajc.com/politics/happe…

A far-right faction that has gained clout in the Georgia GOP wants to give the state party new powers to block candidates from qualifying to run as Republicans if they’re deemed to be insufficiently conservative or a “traitor” to the party. #gapol ajc.com/politics/polit… “If the candidate has shown himself to be a traitor to the principles of the party, then the party can vote to exclude him from qualifying at the next election.” A proposed Georgia GOP rule change would have big implications. #gapol ajc.com/politics/polit…

In exclusive interviews, five of the 23 special grand jurors recounted to @TamarHallerman & @ajccourts what it was like to be a pivotal — but anonymous — part of an investigation that could lead to criminal charges against Trump and his allies. #gapol ajc.com/politics/exclu… They divulged that they had heard a recording of a phone call Trump placed to late House Speaker David Ralston in which the president asked the fellow Republican to convene a special session of the legislature to overturn Biden’s narrow victory. #gapol ajc.com/politics/exclu…

Not surprisingly, Warnock has a huge early vote advantage as some counties begin to report their totals from the week of early-voting + mail ballots. We are closely watching how Walker does re: Election Day voting — and whether he outdoes his November tally. #gapol #gasen “Get your coffee,” says a Republican strategist as more exurban and rural rallies come in — and the Democrat’s edge tightens. #gapol #gasen

Vince Todd arrived at his Atlanta polling site just before 7 and was about 50th in line.
“I wanted to see who I wanted in there: Warnock,” Todd told @bycassidy. “I believe in him, so I gotta get out there.”
By 7:25 a.m., he walked out with his prized voter sticker. #gapol #gasen Ellyce Payne said addressing poverty and mental health care are the deciding issues for her as she cast her ballot in Cobb. She told @taylor_rcroft she worries about deep partisan rifts. “I’m more focused on who you are as a person and your impact on the community.” #gapol #gasen

Herschel Walker’s final runoff eve rally is at the Governors Gun Club, the nation’s largest indoor shooting facility. Ralph Reed, the prominent evangelical leader, kicks off the event drawing boos from the crowd with each mention of Biden’s name and Warnock’s votes. #gapol #gasen In a departure from the norm, Herschel’s wife Julie opens for the Republican. Then came the candidate, who said he would use his campaign bus tomorrow to shuttle people to the polls. (I can’t tell if he’s kidding.) #gapol #gasen

Gov. Kemp makes an argument that Herschel Walker has struggled to land: That the Inflation Reduction Act that Warnock supported “is hurting” the enormous Hyundai EV plant that’s under construction now near Savannah. #gapol #gasen

https://twitter.com/BrianKempGA/status/1596906817577451521

Kemp’s referring to a provision that requires all EVs to undergo final assembly in North America to qualify for lucrative incentives. Since Hyundai’s factory won’t be operational until 2025, the automaker’s customers could lose out on the break. #gasen ajc.com/politics/polit…

A long line of Saturday voters in Athens gathers before the UGA-Tech game #gapol #gasen The scene in Muscogee County earlier today #gapol #gasen

A Fulton County judge has overturned Georgia's ban on abortion that begins when a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat, which is as early as six weeks. Here's the ruling: #gapol documentcloud.org/documents/2330… Judge McBurney wrote that the restrictions were "plainly unconstitutional when drafted, voted upon and enacted" when lawmakers adopted them in 2019, so they can't be enforced now. No immediate comment from Kemp's office. #gapol

House Majority Leader Jon Burns has been elected speaker. #gapol

https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1592183098527354880

Some immediate reaction: “Speaker-elect Burns will imprint his own style on the office, but my sense is there will also be some continuity in how the House conducts business,” says Democratic @RepScottHolcomb. Another D put it another way: #gapol

Before Georgia House Republicans vote on a new speaker and other leaders, they welcomed the newest members of the caucus #gapol Rep. Will Wade nominates House Majority Leader Jon Burns – a staunch ally of current Speaker David Ralston – and tailors his pitch to new legislators.
“For the next step, for the future of our caucus and the future of our state House, that wise leader is Jon Burns.” #gapol

Democrats clinch control of Senate; Georgia runoff not as pivotal in U.S. race #gapol #gasen ajc.com/politics/polit… That could be favorable for Warnock, who ran slightly ahead of Walker in Tuesday’s vote. Walker has tried to frame the race as a check on President Biden’s powers while the Democrat has tried to de-emphasize the national implications. #gapol #gasen ajc.com/politics/polit…

Breaking: David Ralston won't seek another term as Georgia House leader. #gapol ajc.com/politics/david… “I need to take time to address a health challenge which has arisen recently, and the House needs a Speaker who can devote the necessary time and energy to the office,” Ralston said in a statement. #gapol ajc.com/politics/david…

Georgia Democratic Sens. @ReverendWarnock and Jon @ossoff are campaigning together again two weeks before the vote. They’re stumping in tandem at a Savannah field office, where a crowd of volunteers is preparing to canvass for Democrats. #gapol #gasen “It’s been such a privilege and honor to work with my brother, my colleague, my friend Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock. This is a special man,” @ossoff says. “He understands the struggles of ordinary people in this state and is working to lift up all of us.” #gapol #gasen

Jason Esteves, a candidate for Georgia Senate, revs up Hispanic voters at a Warnock rally. “It’s time in this election for us to show our true power, our true poder … We’ve had record breaking turnout in this election — but guess who’s lagging behind? Latinos.” #gapol #gasen >@Lin_Manuel gets an ovation from the crowd. “You may be asking what is Lin-Manuel Miranda doing here? … you hate to be the guy who quotes the lyrics from the band but — history has its eyes on you.” #gapol #gasen

>@staceyabrams was asked what she can do as governor to alleviate high prices and "livability" issues w/ polls showing the economy is a greater factor for many voters than the Supreme Court's abortion ruling. Here’s what she said: #gapol

#gapol