The 2026 Georgia governor's race is officially underway, with Attorney General Chris Carr already announcing his candidacy. Speculation is surrounding Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger will also seek to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who can't seek a third term. But what will the popular outgoing governor do in the future: challenge U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026 or run for president in 2028? Kennesaw State University professor of political science Dr. Ben Taylor breaks down the latest news and information in this week's edition of Political Update from Atlanta News First.

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Atlanta News First and our media partners at Decaturish take you through the stories making headlines in one of metro Atlanta's fastest-growing communities. 

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Georgia's longest trial in history is over, when the jury in Atlanta’s internationally watched YSL trial returned verdicts for the last two co-defendants, Deamonte (aka Yak Gotti) Kendrick and Shannon (aka SB, aka Shannon Jackson) Stillwell. 

The trial's central figure, superstar rapper Young Thug, took a plea deal last month, and Yak Gotti was found not guilty on all charges, while Stillwell was found guilty only on one charge and not guilty on all others. 

Witness testimony lasted almost a year, and Fulton County prosecutors didn't get the verdicts they wanted. Atlanta criminal defense attorney Joshua Schiffer breaks down what this historic trial will mean for the future of criminal prosecutions, defense strategies and the Fulton County District Attorney's office and DA Fani Willis.

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Atlanta News First and our media partners at Decaturish take you through the stories making headlines in one of metro Atlanta's fastest-growing communities. 

Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and information.

Attorney General Chris Carr is the first entry into the 2026 Georgia governor's race. Also, in this edition of Political Update from Atlanta News First, we examine next week's runoff elections throughout metro Atlanta; how Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is taking a national victory lap after the state's recent smooth presidential election; and start our preview of next year's Georgia General Assembly, which convenes in January.

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 Atlanta News First and our media partners at Decaturish take you through the stories making headlines in one of metro Atlanta's fastest-growing communities. 

Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest news and information.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is now preparing for a second term, after an explosive first four years as the top law enforcement official in the state’s largest metro area.

But for much of it, the headlines were dominated by what Willis was doing inside the walls of Fulton County Superior Court. A blockbuster indictment — which has now become the longest criminal case in Georgia — saw handfuls of local rappers and Grammy-nominated rapper Young Thug charged in relation to gang crimes.

And even more consequential was Willis’ prosecution of former-and-now-future President Donald Trump and many of his allies in Georgia for election interference after the vote in 2020.

Atlanta News First sat down with Willis in an exclusive interview following her election victory. 

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 The Atlanta Dream named their new head coach on Wednesday — and he is one of college basketball’s winningest coaches.

Florida Gulf Coast University’s (FGCU) Karl Smesko will lead the Dream in what they hope will be a “new” and “dynamic” style of play.

Smesko has the third-highest winning percentage (.843) among active coaches in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history. He brings more than two decades of head coaching experience to the Dream.

The Dream fired Tanisha Wright last month. She was 48-68 in three seasons. The team was eliminated from the first round of the WNBA playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

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The man accused of killing a nursing student on the University of Georgia’s campus is expected back in court. 

Laken Riley's body was found after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run. Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant, was arrested the next day in connection to her death. 

The case quickly became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration. 

Meanwhile, another high-profile trial in Georgia continues. Prosecutors are trying to prove Rappers Shannon Stillwell (SB) and Deamonte Kendrick (Yak Gotti) are part of a criminal street gang known as Young Slime Life. Defense Attorneys argue YSL is not a gang, but a record label called Young Stoner Life. 

Atlanta Attorney Suri Chadha Jimenez joined ANF+ to weigh in on both trials. 

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Donald Trump continues to fill out his White House staff and cabinet in the wake of the historic, unprecedented 2024 presidential election. Georgia Democrats continue to regroup after Trump dominated Georgia and the rest of the nation, and Latino voters came out in strong support of the GOP White House candidate. Atlanta News First and Political Reporter Doug Reardon break down the latest in political news coming from the nation's preeminent battleground state.

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