Politically Georgia AJC Podcasts

The Georgia’s primary runoff elections now behind us. On
today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia
podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell look at the winners and losers
of Georgia’s runoffs and talk about what it means as we head into the November
elections.
 
Republican strategist Stephen Lawson joins the podcast to discuss the
closely watched GOP races in Georgia’s 2nd and 3rd
congressional districts.  State Senator
Gloria Butler joins the program to talk about what it means that several
Democratic candidates with support from some of the party’s top leaders lost
their local races.
 
And later, our hosts discuss former special prosecutor
Nathan Wade’s recent media blitz. Some are speculating that Wade could be
seeking a TV contract, but legal experts tell the AJC that Wade’s media tour
could put what’s left of the Trump election interference case in peril, since
the Court of Appeals is scrutinizing whether his relationship with the DA
should disqualify her from the case.
 
 
Links to today’s topics:
Election runoff results
Winners and losers of Georgia’s runoff elections
Democratic leaders go bust in key local Georgia runoffs
 
 
Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour PoliticallyGeorgia
Podcast Hotline at770-810-5297.We’ll play back your question and answer it
during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
 
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.” 
 
Credits
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Matt McWilliams
Editor- Devan Kortan
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Bill Nigut welcomes AJC senior editor Mike Jordan. Jordan is the senior editor for UATL, leading the Black culture team.

The pair starts this conversation with preservationist Ann Hill Bond. Bond walks us through the history of slavery in Georgia. The trio reacts to recordings of a freed Georgia slave from the Library of Congress. 

Then, Bill and Mike welcome freelance journalist and filmmaker King Williams to the show. Williams talks about the political power of Atlanta and the Black electorate in Georgia. 

Finally, Tiffany Williams Roberts from the Southern Center for Human Rights joins the conversation. She talks about how Georgia can live up to the social justice promise of “Liberty and Justice for All.”

Links to topics
Is Georgia living up to the Juneteenth promise of freedom? 
Voices Remembering Slavery: Freed People Tell Their Stories
King Williams’ newsletter 
Capital B watch party

Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 
 
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.” 
 
Credits
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Shane Backler
Editor- Matt Owen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s runoff election day here in Georgia and on today’s edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut are keeping close watch on some of the tightest races in the state. AJC election reporter Mark Niesse gives a rundown of the races on today’s primary runoff ballots. The showdown that’s grabbed headlines pits former Trump administration official Brian Jack, who has won the endorsement of Donald Trump and an array of MAGA luminaries, against state senator Mike Dugan for the open seat in the 3rd congressional district. There are also eight legislative races up for grabs today, plus the primary runoff race for DeKalb County CEO, which will most likely be decided in today’s vote.

Later today Vice President Kamala Harris is back in Atlanta highlighting the Biden administration’s commitment to gun safety laws in a conversation with rapper Quavo, whose nephew was shot to death two years ago.  Former White House advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, Jamal Simmons joins the podcast as the vice president returns to talk about the work to motivate Black voters to turn out at the polls for President Biden.

Plus, a shocking gun murder at South Georgia’s Smith State prison adds to the number of violent incidents occurring at Georgia prisons. Now, Governor Kemp has called for an outside organization to do a complete study of the ongoing problems in state penal institutions.

Links to today’s topics:
Here are the races on today's runoff ballots
Trump-backed Brian Jack faces Senator Mike Dugan in GOP runoff
Harris to headline Juneteenth block party
VP and Quavo meet for talk on ending gun violence
How a murder/suicide at Smith State prison shocked state officials

Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 

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.” 
 
Credits
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Matt McWilliams
Editor- Matt Owen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden and Donald Trump had starkly contrasting campaign events this past weekend. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, Host Bill Nigut and special co-host Tamar Hallerman look at the weekend campaign events of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. In Detroit, Trump courts Black voters by falsely accusing Biden of being the main force behind the 1994 crime bill and claimed Biden pushed the “super predator” measure aimed at Black crime. President Biden was in Los Angeles, where he attended a fundraiser where he was praised by some of the biggest names in Hollywood as well as former President Barack Obama. 
Meg Kinnard, national politics reporter, AP, Chuck Williams, WRBL Columbus, reporter, Georgia State University professor Tammy Greer join in on the conversation. 
  
Then, a look at Georgia congressional GOP runoffs that will be decided in tomorrow’s election.  
Former Trump administration official Brian Jack squares off against state senator Mike Dugan for the open seat in the 3rd congressional district; and Chuck Hand, convicted of a misdemeanor criminal action, is facing Wayne Johnson for the GOP nomination in the 2nd congressional district. 
  
Plus, Tamar and Bill look at reaction from Georgia elected officials to the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning the trump-era ban on bump stocks for guns. 
  
  
Links to today’s topics 
Trump courts Black voters in Detroit 
Biden raises millions in glittery Hollywood fundraiser 
Trump-backed Brian Jack faces Senator Mike Dugan in GOP runoff 
Jan.6 rioter in 2nd district GOP congressional runoff  
SCOTUS overturns ban on bump stocks 
  
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.”  
  
Credits 
Executive Producer- Shane Backler 
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall 
Engineer- Matt McWilliams 
Editor- Matt Owen 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speaker of the Georgia House Jon Burns has announced he’ll
support legislation protecting in vitro fertilization in Georgia. On today’s
episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast,
hosts Bill Nigut and Patricia Murphy discuss the speaker’s announcement and how
a similar measure was blocked by Republicans in the U.S. Senate.

But first, Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight Action, the
voting rights and grassroots activist organization founded by Stacey Abrams
joins the podcast to discuss a new initiative designed to recruit Georgians to
- in their words - “empower everyday Americans to support voters and protect
our democratic process from election deniers and conspiracy theorists trying to
tear our country apart.” Groh-Wargo told the podcast that Fair Fight will also
work to build a grassroots army of volunteers to turn out voters for Joe Biden.

Plus, Patricia reports on the controversy roiling around
Georgia House minority leader James Beverly, who has been accused by a staff
member of sexual harassment.

Then, as we do every Friday, Bill and Patricia answer
listener questions from the Politically Georgia Mailbag and give you their
winners and losers of the week during Who’s Up and Who’s Down.

Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour
Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. 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 speaker vows legislation to protect access to IVF treatments
Supreme
Court preserves access to abortion pill
Female
house Democrats incensed over accusations of sexual harassment against minority
leader

  
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.” 
 
Credits
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Matt McWilliams
Editor- Devan Kortan
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an exclusive interview on CNN’s “The Source”, former
Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade tells Kaitlan Collins that he is
not to blame for the delay of the Fulton County case against former President
Donald Trump. On today’s episode of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s
Politically Georgia podcast, Kaitlan Collins joins hosts Bill Nigut and Greg
Bluestein to discuss her exclusive interview with Nathan Wade.

But first, Ari Berman joins the podcast to discuss his new
book “Minority Rule, the Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People and the
Fight to Resist It.” Berman describes the way in which the Founding Fathers, in
an attempt to establish majority rule but at the same time protect the rights
of the minority of Americans, began a long road to today, as Republicans push
forward initiatives that he asserts thwart the rights of the majority of people
in the country.

Then, University of Georgia political science professor
Charles Bullock expands on Ari Berman’s observations, citing gerrymandering and
other mechanisms used to maintain single-party power in Georgia.

Links to topics
Guardian review of "Minority Rule"
Ari Berman books
Kaitlan Collins interview with Nathan Wade

Have a question for the show? Call the 24-hour
Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play
back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next
Friday's episode. 
  
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.” 
 
Credits
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Matt McWilliams
Editor- Devan Kortan
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices