A special election has added a new face to the Georgia Senate, with Dr. Jaha Howard set to take the District 35 seat after narrowly defeating fellow Democrat Roger Bruce. Howard will be sworn in ahead of the 2026 legislative session, representing parts of Cobb and Fulton counties.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis defended her handling of the Trump election interference case during a tense Senate committee hearing, pushing back against Republican lawmakers who questioned her decision to hire a special prosecutor with whom she had a personal relationship. While the committee cannot discipline Willis, the investigation is continuing.

A new report shows nearly half of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food purchases go to just 25 large companies, sparking criticism from small farmers and advocacy groups who say federal procurement favors industrial agriculture over local producers.

In DeKalb County, commissioners voted to extend a moratorium on data center development for six months as residents raise concerns about environmental and community impacts, with potential regulations expected to be debated later this month.

State prosecutors have also indicted the owners of an Atlanta-area behavioral health center on Medicaid fraud charges, alleging more than $1.4 million in false claims. And Georgia is joining several other states in forming a new higher education accreditation body, a move critics say could politicize access to federal funding for colleges and universities.

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