Politically Georgia

Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell answer listener questions about Georgia’s crowded governor’s race, including why Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was still able to qualify despite a GOP resolution aimed at blocking him. They also explain how the growing number of Atlanta‑based candidates could shape the race and break down the differences between full Medicaid expansion and Georgia’s Pathways program. The conversation also touches on the timing of Georgia Supreme Court elections, Atlanta’s chances of landing a future Democratic National Convention and the emerging race for the open seat next to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s district. Greg and Tia also discuss AI‑generated campaign ads and what to watch as Congressman David Scott seeks another term. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell break down how U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran are suddenly shaping Georgia’s biggest political contests. They examine how top Republicans are lining up behind President Donald Trump while Democrats like Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock push back and call for Congress to assert its authority over war powers. Greg and Tia also explain how the foreign policy fight is colliding with a partial government shutdown centered on funding the Department of Homeland Security. Then they turn to qualifying week at the Georgia Capitol and the early signals emerging in several key races across the state. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein reports from the Georgia Capitol as qualifying week gets underway, with candidates lining up to formally enter races for governor, Senate and down-ballot offices. He catches up with contenders on both sides of the aisle, from Jon Ossoff and Buddy Carter in the Senate race to Chris Carr and Keisha Lance Bottoms in the race for governor, capturing the early messages and emerging lines of attack. Then Greg sits down with state Rep. Ruwa Romann to discuss her decision to suspend her gubernatorial bid and pivot to a Gwinnett-based state Senate race, and what she says it reveals about money, momentum and the Democratic field. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein sits down with former state Sen. Jen Jordan and trial attorney Miracle Rankin, two Democratic-leaning attorneys mounting rare challenges to sitting Georgia Supreme Court justices. They argue the court has been shaped by gubernatorial appointments and say voters deserve a clearer choice in low-turnout May elections that have long protected incumbents. Jordan, who is running against Justice Sarah Warren, and Rankin, who is challenging Justice Charlie Bethel, outline a strategy centered on turnout and voter education rather than big-dollar spending. They also make the case for why this election cycle could test a system that has protected incumbents for more than a century. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell break down the online firestorm over California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s comments in Atlanta and explain how his remarks about dyslexia were reframed on social media. They also dig into billionaire candidate Rick Jackson’s healthcare empire and the questions surrounding his state contracts as he runs for governor. They explore long-shot challenges to sitting Georgia Supreme Court justices, fallout from the FBI raid on the Fulton County Elections office and scrutiny over a costly ICE property purchase in Social Circle. And they discuss a fatal ICE-related chase in Savannah and the broader debate over immigration enforcement and employer accountability. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein breaks down President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address with Tia Mitchell, focusing on the political implications for Georgia as midterms approach. They examine Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting, his clashes with the Supreme Court over tariffs and how Democrats responded, including walkouts and counterprogramming. Later, Greg is joined by Patricia Murphy and Savannah Bureau Chief Adam Van Brimmer for a look at the open 1st Congressional District race and Buddy Carter’s Senate bid. Adam also reports on a fatal ICE-related chase in Savannah that has divided local officials, and the latest developments on zoning and the Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down why the State Election Board stopped short of moving to take over Fulton County’s elections after the FBI raid of the county’s election offices. Greg talks with AJC politics reporter Caleb Groves about what happened during the board’s two-day meeting and how Georgia law could allow a state intervention before 2026. Then Greg and Patricia sit down with State Election Board Chair John Fervier, who calls talk of a takeover “political theater” and argues there is no justification for state control of Fulton’s elections. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump returned to Georgia and largely left the 2026 landscape unchanged. Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down his renewed endorsement of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the governor’s race, his decision to stay neutral in the GOP Senate primary, and what that means for Mike Collins, Buddy Carter and Derek Dooley. They also unpack a federal judge’s ruling that blocks Jones from spending leadership committee funds and how that could reshape the race. And they examine Trump’s revived claims about the 2020 election and calls to scrutinize Fulton County’s elections, along with the political fallout for both parties. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell break down the crowded Democratic primary in Georgia’s 13th District, where longtime Congressman David Scott faces multiple challengers, including reality TV star and dentist Dr. Heavenly Kimes. Tia presses Kimes on her leap from a planned state House run to Congress and on whether her Married to Medicine persona helps or hurts her candidacy. Patricia and Tia also examine how her rivals are framing the race and whether concerns about Scott’s limited visibility in Washington could fuel calls for generational change. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down the competing tax plans reshaping the debate under the Gold Dome. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is pushing to phase out the state income tax, House Speaker Jon Burns wants to eliminate property taxes on homesteads, and Gov. Brian Kemp is urging a more incremental approach. AJC reporter David Wickert joins to walk through the math behind the proposals, including projected multibillion-dollar revenue losses and what they could mean for schools, local governments, and the broader state budget. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices