Political Breakfast from WABE

On this week's Political Breakfast, we talk about a recent exchange between Georgia gubernatorial candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson. It all unfolded in a hotel parking lot, after a Jackson attack ad took aim at Bottoms' husband.

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson discuss with host Lisa Rayam how campaigns decide whether to rebut a claim, attack the messenger, or just change the subject.  

A quick note: Brian advises Rick Jackson and Tharon advises Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Plus, Atlanta did not make the final cut to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention. Mayor Andre Dickens did not react kindly to the snub. 

In a letter to the DNC, Dickens wrote that its leaders "continue to make the wrong choices," that the "road to the White House runs through the South" and they are "once again abandoning Black voters."

Plus, as Jackson's campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration, a lawsuit filed by foreign-born nurses against one of the companies under his healthcare empire, accuses Avant Healthcare Professionals of "luring them to the United States" only to pay them low wages and trap them in contracts for years.

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On this edition of Political Breakfast, the team discusses how billionaire businessman and Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson signed a new contract to provide healthcare services to workers with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health.

Much of Jackson's fortune comes from the company he owns: Jackson Healthcare.

The trouble is, Jackson said he would shy away from conducting health business in Georgia if elected. This new contract would expire six months AFTER a new governor takes office.

Republican strategist Brian Robinson, who advises the Rick Jackson campaign, Democratic strategist Anre Washington and host Lisa Rayam sort through all the implications.

Plus, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff went on the attack at a rally in Atlanta over the weekend, and continued to call out his opponent, GOP U.S. Representative Mike Collins, for his alleged ties to white supremacists.

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 This edition of Political Breakfast explores the powerful role money and public perception play in Georgia elections. 

 Brian, Tharon, and Lisa examine how candidates with larger campaign war chests often gain a significant advantage that can translate into more voter support.

 We also discuss how a candidate's reputation can be affected by the company they keep!  

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 On this episode of Political Breakfast, Polling and Emoting explores the intersection of public opinion and campaign strategy by taking a closer look at the latest polls in Georgia and what they may reveal about the state's political landscape.

 In addition, strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson, along with host Lisa Rayam, talk about the emotional dynamics of the campaign trail.  They explore whether a candidate's emotional appeal can influence public perception, shape momentum, and ultimately translate into votes on Election Day.  

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On today's Political Breakfast, our Republican strategist Brian Robinson responds to some listener feedback, wondering how his current role of advising the Rick Jackson campaign for Georgia governor, really works in tandem with his job untangling Georgia politics on WABE. 

Plus, our Democratic strateigst Tharon Johnson also talks about his past roles as a campaign advisor, for former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and others. 

We also break down the recent Toast on Lenox-Rick Jackson photo controversy. Brian and Tharon talk about Jackson's visit to the Atlanta Black-owned breakfast spot. It's now being subjected to calls for a boycott.

And more polls, polls, polls. We breakdown how a new poll released Monday morning and analyzed by the AJC, shows Democrats hold an early advantage in the Georgia Governor's race.

BUT the pollsters acknowledge that much of that edge depends on voters who are LESS likely to turn up at the polls, when the race for president is not on the ballot. The poll also acknowledges that their sample could lean a little bit bluer than the overall Georgia electorate.

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On this week's Political Breakfast, Democratic strategist Anré Washington is filling-in for Tharon Johnson, alongside Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam. 

We start with FIFA fever in Atlanta! It's the last week of the 2026 World Cup. England will face Argentina at 3 pm at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Will the soccer culture and spirit stay in Atlanta when the World Cup run ends?

Plus, more polls are out, a few weeks after the competitive Georgia primary elections. Even though polls don't tell the WHOLE story, our strategists believe they take a pretty good pulse of how Georgia voters are feeling. 

One from Fox News shows Democrats leading by a significant amount in both the Governor's race and the race for U.S. Senate. But another poll from Wick Research shows both races are deadlocked. 

Plus, the group reacts to South Carolina Republican Lindsay Graham's death over the weekend, after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.” Even though he never represented the Peach State, he became intertwined with Georgia politics over the years. 

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On this week's Political Breakfast: Lately it's been less about politics in our news feed, and all about the FIFA World Cup! As we recorded, Atlanta was getting ready for its second knockout stage match at Mercedes Benz Stadium, with Argentina battling Egypt.

In the heat of Atlanta hosting the World Cup, a recent U.S. Census Bureau report estimates Georgia's population has grown by more than a half million people in the past five years, and continues to diversify. 

The data shows that nonwhite residents account for all of the growth. 

Republican strategist Brian Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam break down how these changing demographics could play an integral role in who get's elected come November.

Plus, Republican Rick Jackson has spent 108 million of his own money on his campaign for Georgia Governor. That broke a campaign spending record. And recently we saw Georgia's Democratic nominee for Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms campaign in Savannah with U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff.

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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.

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After months of candidates stumping for high-profile endorsements, spending millions of dollars on attack ads and traveling across the state, today's the day. 

The polls are open for Georgia's primary runoff election. 

Some of the most contentious races are on the Republican ballot, including the runoffs for U.S. Senate and Governor. 

One race that's gotten some extra attention this week: the race for Democrat Jon Ossoff's U.S. Senate seat. President Donald Trump gave an 11th-hour endorsement of current Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins. But strategists ask: why so late? Trump posted his endorsement on Truth Social at 1 am on Sunday. 

The runoff election pits Collins against Republican Derek Dooley, a former football coach at the University of Tennessee, who has the support of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

How will the Kemp versus Trump endorsement play-out among voters? Republican strategist Brian Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam discuss. 

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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.

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