Political Breakfast from WABE

On today's live edition of Political Breakfast, we're addressing a surprise move during a special session called by Governor Brian Kemp.  The plan was to redraw Georgia's congressional and state legislative districts. That's in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted a key portion in the Voting Rights Act on redistricting.Now critics say Republican-held states across the South could likely redraw their maps and put seats typically held by Democrats at risk.  But yesterday, Republican House leaders wrote a letter to Kemp, and decided that changes to the maps will not happen this summer during the session. They cite the changes should only happen after a deliberative process, providing the public enough time for input.  Democrats are celebrating the news. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson is one of them. He, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam break down the news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast, we're starting off with an increasingly contentious local race ahead of the June primary runoff elections: the race for Fulton County Commission Chair.  Longtime incumbent Robb Pitts is being challenged by former District 4 Commissioner Mo Ivory. Recent debates between the two have been fiery and full of personal attacks.  One issue voters are bringing up is age. Pitts is now in his mid-80s. How does ageism play into these elections -- from the Fulton Commission Chair, all the way up to the Georgia governor's race? Do these attacks on age have merit? Plus, Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is now focusing his campaign for governor on safety concerns for Atlanta MARTA riders.  That's after President Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the feds are launching an investigation into how MARTA spends its money. The transit authority has dealt with a series of violent incidents just weeks ahead of the FIFA World Cup.  Democratic strategist and attorney Anré Washington is here filling-in for strategist Tharon Johnson this week. Washington, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam sort through this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast: The campaign for billionaire healthcare CEO Rick Jackson confirmed with WABE he will NOT be part of Monday's Atlanta Press Club debate, in the battle for the Republican nomination in the Georgia governor's race. His opponent, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, is now prepared to face an empty podium on Monday afternoon at 2:45, and answer questions from a panel of journalists alone. He also criticized Jackson for not showing up on social media.  Jackson's campaign cited a scheduling conflict: an event with Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott. The campaign said in a statement that the APC could not accommodate later dates, so Jackson has accepted Gray TV's invitation to debate on President Trump's birthday, or Flag Day on June 14th, "when runoff voters will be fully engaged and making a decision ahead of Election Day." Meanwhile, Democratic nominee and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms dominated in the May primary with 56 percent of the vote. She will face either Jones or Jackson in November.  Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson go live with host Lisa Rayam. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast, we're in the final stretch of early voting for the May primaries! Early voting ends this Friday. Election Day is May 19th.  The Georgia Governor's race has been dominating our conversations on this podcast. Now it's time to turn to the U.S. Senate race. Republican Governor Brian Kemp has endorsed former football coach Derek Dooley in hopes he can flip the seat held by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Is the Kemp clout working? Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson weigh-in with host Lisa Rayam.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  On this edition of Political Breakfast, strategists Tharon Johnson, Brian Robinson, and Host Lisa Rayam talk about the art of debating.    The debate season kicks off in Georgia just as early voting gets underway.  Do the candidates truly benefit from participating in this long-established routine?    Also, the team focuses on the Gubernatorial candidates and what the debate process specifically means for the top two candidates from each party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems like a two-way race for the Democratic nomination in Georgia's gubernatorial race, between frontrunner and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. That's as the latest polling and campaign contributions are reported.  But Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson tell host Lisa Rayam, It's not over till it's over -- the numbers are still murky, and there's still a chance for candidates in the single digits to push forward. Meanwhile on the Republican side, GOP titans are dominating campaign contributions in this race. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast, strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson, along with prominent lawmakers like Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, traveled to Sea Island for a state Department of Natural Resources fundraiser.  However, the talk of the benefit was the recent FBI raid in Fulton County, and the seizure of 2020 election records.  Republicans like Raffensperger are breaking their silence on the issue, urging the GOP to stop trying to "rerun" President Donald Trump's 2020 election grievances. Trump has repeatedly insisted the 2020 election was stolen, despite multiple recounts and audits confirming his loss to former President Joe Biden.  Plus, legislation to ban phones and other electronic devices in Georgia public high schools is underway at the Gold Dome this week.  House Bill 1009 would ban devices starting in the 2027-28 school year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Political Breakfast, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson go live with host Lisa Rayam, to talk about a looming partial government shutdown.  Congress has until this Friday to pass a series of appropriation bills, and U.S. Senate Democrats are rallying to reject a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. That's in response to the latest shooting of the 37-year-old ICU nurse, Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis, that involved federal immigration agents. Now Georgia Democrats, and even some Republicans, are criticizing how the Trump Administration has handled the fallout. Stephen Miller, Trump's homeland security adviser, called Pretti a “domestic terrorist.” Videos from bystanders do not show Pretti brandishing a weapon -- but do show a group of agents tackling Pretti and shooting him several times. Officials say he was legally armed.  Georgia U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have both announced they will oppose the government funding package. Former Georgia U.S. Rep. Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene also defended Pretti, and said there was nothing wrong with him legally peacefully protesting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.