Political Rewind

Wednesday on Political Rewind: We spoke with a panel of mayors from across Georgia to learn more about each of their communities.

Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. of Augusta said cities are the frontlines of democratic governance, so it is important to have accountable leaders.

"The majority of our nation's GDP happens in and around cities," he said. "And so when you look at the things that are taking place, the Sandy Springs[es], the Tiftons, the Augustas, we quite frankly are the laboratories of democracy. What we are interested in is doing the most good for the most people and representing all of our cities and our residents."

What are the key issues they are confronting as 2021 reaches its final weeks? And as federal COVID relief money begins to become available to municipal governments, what are their expectations for how that money will be used?

And with Congress' passage of a long-debated infrastructure bill, what do local leaders need for roads, bridges and other projects?

Plus, we asked whether the angry partisan divide gripping this country is having an impact on their residents.

Panelists:

Mayor Julie Smith — Mayor of Tifton

Mayor Hardie Davis — Mayor of Augusta     

Mayor Rusty Paul — Mayor of Sandy Springs

Greg Bluestein — Politics reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday on Political Rewind: We remembered the life and political career of Georgian and former Sen. Max Cleland. Cleland served in the army during the Vietnam War, before entering into the state General Assembly and then serving as the head of the Veterans Administration under President Jimmy Carter.

Cleland would go on to serve as Georgia's secretary of state and then as a U.S. senator for two terms until 2003. The 79-year-old died last night from heart failure, according to reports.

As a reporter, host Bill Nigut covered Cleland closely and said the representative had a remarkable zest for life.

"He wore a Mickey Mouse watch everywhere he went and he told people that he wore it because he wanted to remind everyone that he shouldn't take life too seriously," Nigut said. "So he was a remarkable public servant."

In redistricting news, Republican legislative leaders are facing pushback from some GOP voters who say they’re being denied the right to elect candidates of their own choice as proposed redistricting maps surface. Some conservative voters south of Atlanta worry that a proposed change could endanger Republican state Rep. Phillip Singleton. His current Coweta district is poised to extend into South Fulton, a Democratic stronghold, in the new maps. 

University of Georgia political science professor Dr. Charles Bullock has extensively studied redistricting, and authored a book on the process. He believes that Republicans drawing the new lines are playing a long game.

"I think what's driving the Republicans here is when you draw this map, you're not just drawing for 2022 or 2024," Bullock said. "You really are drawing a map you hope is going to work for your party for 10 years. And so you're anticipating what kind of changes may take place. That's hard to do."

Meanwhile, new reporting from The New York Times shows Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis is preparing to pursue a special grand jury to determine if former President Donald Trump should face criminal charges for working to convince Georgia GOP officials to overturn the results of the presidential race.

Panelists:

Tamar Hallerman — Senior reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mariela Romero — Community empowerment director, Univision

Dr. Jennifer McCoy — Political science professor, Georgia State University

Dr. Charles Bullock — Political science professor, University of Georgia

​Monday on Political Rewind: Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr have expanded their legal battle against the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. They filed a new lawsuit even as Georgia passed 25,000 deaths from COVID-19.

Axios political reporter Emma Hurt pointed out that Kemp's resistance to the vaccine mandate falls in line with his strategy throughout the pandemic, and his opposition to Biden.

"He says, 'This is your choice,'" she said. "'You and your doctor should decide. I think it's a good idea, but I'm not going to tell you what to do. I'm the government. You decide for yourself.' So it really fits in with that track record. And it also positions Kemp well. As you know, I think we've seen him do this repeatedly, going back to the good politics point, as kind of a foil on the national stage to Biden. We saw it with the voting law. And so it is it does make political sense as well beyond know the legal arguments that they are making."

A federal appeals court has temporarily stayed the order calling for companies with more than 100 employees to require vaccines for their workers by early next year.

Meanwhile, the state senate is moving quickly to pass new Georgia voting districts. The redistricting committee approved new senate districts on just the third day of the special session. Democrats say GOP legislators aren’t giving them or the public the time needed to weigh in on the new maps.

Also: If Stacey Abrams chooses not to run for governor, is DeKalb Democratic CEO Michael Thurmond likely to enter the race? He hinted he might on our show late last week.

Panelists:

Emma Hurt — Political reporter, Axios Atlanta

Stephen Fowler — Political reporter, GPB news

Leroy Chapman — Managing editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jim Galloway — Former political columnist, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday on Political Rewind: Kasim Reed conceded in the race for mayor of Atlanta. The Nov. 30 runoff will see City Council President Felicia Moore face councilman Andre Dickens.

Meanwhile, Gov. Brian Kemp and other Republicans on the 2022 ballot have moved quickly to trumpet the anti-Biden messaging that led to an upset GOP victory in the Virginia governor’s race.

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond made it clear he will not rule out the possibility that he may run for governor next year. Thurmond was asked if he would consider running if Stacey Abrams announces she will not challenge Brian Kemp in that race.

“I’m always interested," he said. "Hope springs eternal in every political heart. We’ll see what the future brings.”

Panelists:

Patricia Murphy — Politics reporter and columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Maria Saporta — Editor, Saporta Report

Michael Thurmond — CEO, DeKalb County

Leo Smith — Republican consultant and president, Engaged Futures

Thursday on Political Rewind: The jury selection tasked with deciding the fate of Travis and Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan was announced Wednesday. The three men stand trial for murder in the shooting of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020.

Prosecutors protested the jury selection, arguing its makeup does not match the demographics of Glynn County. Eleven white jurors and one Black juror were chosen to hear the case.

Meanwhile in the state Capitol, legislators settled into the main business of their special session: redrawing the political maps of Georgia. Will Republicans expand their control or cede ground to Democrats as they reshape the electoral landscape?

Panelists:

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver — State representative (D-Decatur)

Edward Lindsey — Former Georgia state representative

Fred Smith — Professor of constitutional law, Emory University

Kevin Riley — Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The race for mayor of Atlanta is headed for a runoff. City Council President Felicia Moore secured her spot handily. The second place spot, and a ticket to the runoffs, was undecided as the sun rose on Wednesday morning.

Incumbent mayors in a number of Georgia cities fought off challenges from progressive candidates. What do the results tell us about the mood of voters right now?

Democrats across the country felt a chill looking toward to 2022 today as the state of Virginia elected a Republican governor. What does the GOP upset victory tell us about next year's races in Georgia?

Plus, we previewed the redistricting session, which is underway at the state Capitol.

Panelists:

Dr. Andra Gillespie — Professor of political science and director at James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference, Emory University

Dr. Karen Owen — Professor of political science, University of West Georgia

Donna Lowry — Host, Georgia Public Broadcasting's Lawmakers

Greg Bluestein — Politics reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday on Political Rewind: It is Election Day in Georgia, with important municipal races in communities across the state. Among the races, Savannah is picking a new state House representative, Marietta is voting on seats for its Board of Education and Atlanta residents are deciding on a new mayor. This year, some have taken on a more partisan edge than in past elections.

"If we take those partisan items and bring them down to the municipal level, what you tend to do is to discourage people from participating on the municipal level, which then cornered the market for a political ideology to takeover municipal offices," Clark Atlanta University political science professor Tammy Greer said. 

Meanwhile, voters in Virginia will elect a new governor today. Our panel looked at the issues propelling voters to the polls there and giving candidates in Georgia ammunition for their own 2022 campaigns. 

Also, the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to allow opponents of the new Texas abortion law to proceed with cases challenging the legality of the statute. Why could that be good news for gun advocates here?

Panelists:

Tamar Hallerman – Senior reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rene Alegria – CEO, Mundo Hispanico Digital

Dr. Tammy Greer – Professor of political science, Clark Atlanta University

Chuck Kuck – Immigration attorney

Monday on Political Rewind: Candidates in municipal elections across Georgia are getting one last day of campaigning in before voters head to the polls on Election Day tomorrow. We previewed key races.

Tomorrow’s races are set to play out under new state laws governing election law passed following the 2020 election. The new rules could set the stage for state takeovers of local election boards that fail to to comply with the provisions. Lies about the election, promoted by former President Donald Trump and his supporters in the Republican Party, provoked the changes.

Also, legislators across the state head to Atlanta to take part in a consequential special session of the General Assembly tasked with drawing Georgia's new political maps. The decennial process of altering Georgia's district boundaries begins on Wednesday.

In other news, an investigation by the Current reveals evidence of racial bias in the Glynn County Police Department.

Panelists:

Riley Bunch — Public policy reporter, GPB News

Margaret Coker — Editor-in-chief, The Current

Maya Prabhu — Statehouse reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jim Galloway — Former political columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday on Political Rewind: Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan is viewed as an outsider by many in his own party. The Republican from Alpharetta, Ga., has been at odds with Republican leaders over the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump. Duncan publicly spoke out against the conspiracy theories and lies spread by Trump and his allies in the Republican party following defeats in the 2020 elections.

In his new book, GOP 2.0: How the 2020 Election Can Lead to a Better Way Forward for America's Conservative Party, Duncan recalls the journey he took to becoming a pariah within the GOP and urges for a new direction forward for the Republican Party.

He argues the Republican party needs to blend conservative policy with empathy and a respectful tone in order to stay relevant in future elections. The harsh, acidic rhetoric of the Trump presidency needs to be left behind.

"I don't disagree with a majority of the policies that Donald Trump stood for," Duncan said. "He just literally forgot to remind 350 million Americans about those policies. He just wanted to pick on people for the last six months of this campaign cycle."

In addition to the book, Duncan also launched a website for his movement, which he promises will bring "a fresh and reasoned approach to creating Republican majorities." He says his goal is to build enough support among voters and party officials to gain influence in the 2024 election cycle. 

"We've got to convince tens of millions of folks that this is the direction, this is the path forward, for the party," he said. "And you know, we're going to take the next three years to do that."

With appearances across the nation on his book tour and on cable news, some analysts say Duncan might be attempting to build a national brand that could help him to a presidential bid for office. On whether he would like to see his name considered for a future Republican presidential primary, Duncan said he be honored to be considered.

"But that is so far from anything that me or my wife would be thinking about at this point," he said.

Panelists:

Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan – 12th Lt. Gov. of Georgia, Former state Representative from the 26th District

Patricia Murphy – Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday on Political Rewind: Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker gained the support of a an influential member of his party's national leadership when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his endorsement of the former University of Georgia football star turned-congressional-hopeful.

McConnell is just the latest establishment figure to endorse Walker. Sen. John Thune from South Dakota, an important figure in the Republican caucus, endorsed the Georgia Republican candidate earlier this week.

Meanwhile, what can the important Virginia gubernatorial race tell us about where voters across the country stand in 2021?

"Basically, its saying that the Virginia governor's race is nationalized and that local issues matter less," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Greg Bluestein said. "And, frankly, we saw that in the last one or two election cycles in Georgia, where Democrats used to try to run away from the national brand and [then] they embraced it, particularly in Senate races last year."

Also, our panel discussed polling on public trust in the redistricting process. The decennial process of redrawing the state's political maps gets under way in the Georgia legislature next week. But polls show a majority of Americans do not trust the process will be handled fairly.

Panelists:

Dr. Kurt Young — Professor of political Science and department chair, Clark Atlanta University

Dr. Audrey Haynes — Professor of political science, University of Georgia

Dr. Alan Abramowitz — Professor emeritus of political science, Emory University

Greg Bluestein — Political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution