Plugged Into Politics

Georgians begin casting ballots as in-person early voting gets underway for the November midterms.
Candidates continue to make their case, along with pushing supporters to the polls.
President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance make their way to Georgia.

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Candidates for Georgia Governor and Senate faced off in debates this week ahead of the November election.

On Tuesday, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson met for what will likely be their only debate before Election Day on Nov. 3. The hourlong matchup between the gubernatorial candidates featured questions from voters on a wide range of issues, including Flock cameras, healthcare, public safety, and elections.

Things got heated on Thursday in the first Ga. Senate debate between incumbent Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff and his challenger, Republican Rep. Mike Collins. Both came out swinging as they answered Atlanta News First/Gray Media reporters' questions about the economy, tariffs, data centers, immigration and more.

On this episode of "Plugged Into Politics," host Rahul Bali is joined by WABE colleagues DorMiya Vance and Emily Wu Pearson to discuss the big takeaways from the week's debates.

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Candidates for Governor talk about their plans after incumbent Brian Kemp suspends the gas tax.

The GOP faces questions about their candidate for U.S. Senate as Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff goes on the attack.

Plus, one of the most important organizations in the state is getting a new leader and why it matters in Georgia politics.

Hear these stories and more on this week's episode of "Plugged Into Politics."

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Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger responds to President Trump's ongoing efforts to falsely claim the 2020 election was rigged and explains what goes into making Georgia elections free, fair and fast.

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As many of us approach Thanksgiving with trepidation around potential dinner table political conversation, there is no better time to speak with Beth Macy. The best-selling author discusses her new book Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America. After her hit Dopesick dove deep into the opioid epidemic in Appalachia, she returns to Urbana, Ohio to explore how these times have changed her hometown.

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An expert panel convenes to discuss the consequential 2025-2026 Supreme Court docket. Lori Ringhand of the University of Georgia Law School, Georgia State University Associate Dean of Faculty Research and Development Anthony Michael Kries, and Fred Smith of Stanford University Law School join host Bill Nigut. 

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Bill Nigut interviews Tom Johnson, who grew up in Macon, Georgia, and went on to make CNN a global news network. Tom studied journalism at the University of Georgia and business at Harvard Business School before serving as a White House Fellow in the Lyndon B. Johnson White House. He was publisher of the Dallas Times Herald and then the Los Angeles Times, where Ted Turner tapped him to run CNN.

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Subscribe now to catch the first episode, dropping November 8.

In These Times with Bill Nigut is a weekly podcast featuring thoughtful, in-depth conversations about the political, cultural, and social forces shaping Georgia and the wider world. This series brings together expert analysts to help listeners make sense of the biggest stories of the moment, offering clarity without the noise of partisanship. But politics is just part of the story — the show also highlights voices from the arts, music, theater, film, and literature, exploring how creativity and culture help us navigate and reflect on these complex times. Insightful, wide-ranging, and grounded in curiosity rather than division, In These Times with Bill Nigut is your guide to understanding where we are — and where we’re going.

Learn more: https://www.wabe.org/podcasts/in-these-times-with-bill-nigut/

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In the final episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali, along with producer Brendan Rivers, discuss the last four unprecedented years in Georgia politics.

Plus, a preview of what the WABE newsroom will be keeping an eye on over the coming months.

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Georgia Republicans spent years building ties with companies in South Korea, culminating with Hyundai building a multi-billion dollar electric vehicle plant outside of Savannah.

But last week, a battery factory at the site was raided by federal immigration agents, who detained more than 300 South Korean citizens.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at the ongoing fallout from the Hyundai raid.

Plus, WABE Immigration Reporter Emily Wu Pearson takes listeners to a federal immigration detention facility in Georgia.

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