Politically Georgia

With one day to go before what many consider a historic Election Day, more than 4 million Georgians have already cast their ballots, while millions more are expected to vote tomorrow. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell speak with political ad expert Rick Dent to analyze the final campaign messages from Donald Trump and Kamala Harris as they make their last push to win over voters.

Then, we speak with Gabe Sterling, COO of the Secretary of State’s office, about the measures being taken to counter misinformation circulating on social media about non-citizen voting. Sterling also addresses the latest legal challenge from Georgia Republicans, who filed a lawsuit over counties that accepted absentee ballots this past weekend.

Finally, a sampling of person-on-the-street interviews with Georgians sharing their thoughts on this year’s election.

Links to today’s topics:

Harris, Trump and surrogates have busy weekend of campaigning in Georgia

Harris ends campaign on upbeat note, Trump continues dark themes

Georgia Republicans escalate attacks on counties that accepted ballots on weekend

Georgia ends early voting with record 4 million votes cast

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”    

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On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Tia Mitchell, Bill Nigut, and Greg Bluestein sit down with State Election Board chairman John Fervier. Fervier discusses his opposition to controversial ballot processing rules and shares his perspective on the future of election oversight in Georgia. 

Next, we explore the intersection of music and politics. With stars like Bruce Springsteen making appearances for candidates and popular songs played at rallies, music often takes center stage in presidential campaigns. But the Trump campaign has recently faced restrictions from artists who don’t want their work used. Music producer Issac Hayes III joins us to explain his actions to prevent Trump from using a song his father, the legendary Isaac Hayes, wrote. 

We’ll wrap up the week by answering your questions from the listener mailbag and sharing our picks for who’s up and who’s down this week in politics. 

Links to today’s topics: 

Georgia election board chair calls his GOP board colleagues "unprofessional" 

Judge overturns new state election board certification rules 

Watchdog group sues election board members for using private emails for public business 

Trump ordered to stop playing Issac Hayes music at rallies 

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”     

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With early voting nearing its end, more than 3 million Georgians have already cast their ballots in the presidential election. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein, and Bill Nigut are joined by Ryan Anderson of Georgia Votes to analyze the latest trends and voter turnout. 

We then hear directly from Gen Z voters. UGA College Republican Michael O’Leary explains why he switched his voter registration from Florida to Georgia and encouraged other out-of-state students to do the same. Young Democrat Parker Short also shares what he hopes to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris and her surrogates, and highlights local Gen Z candidates on the ballot. 

Links to today’s topics: 

Georgia Votes latest early voting data 

Michelle Obama urges young voter turnout in Georgia 

College Republicans at UGA 

Young Democrats of Georgia 

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”     

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With Election Day less than a week away, Kamala Harris delivers her closing campaign message, promising unity and inclusion, even for those who oppose her—setting a sharp contrast with Donald Trump’s rhetoric. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell break down Harris’s final pitch and the impact it could have on the race.

The second half of the episode features a deep dive into election integrity. Bill Nigut moderates a panel with former Senator Saxby Chambliss, former Governor Roy Barnes, and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. They discuss the challenges of restoring trust in elections, how leaders can bridge political divides, and the mission of the Democracy Defense Project as voters head to the polls.

We also take a moment to celebrate a big achievement—our first anniversary on WABE. Listen as we reflect on the stories and moments that have defined our first year.

Links to today’s topics:

Key moments from Kamala Harris speech at Ellipse

Did President Biden suggest Trump supporters are "garbage?"

Georgia elected officials unite to restore faith in election

Conspiracy vs. reality: most 2020 election fraud claims are debunked, but doubts linger anyway

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”    

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With just one week left until Election Day, nearly 3 million Georgians have already cast their ballots. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut speak with famed pollster Nate Silver. We’ll get his pulse on the Georgia race and hear his thoughts on critiques that some of his models are biased in favor of Donald Trump.

We also break down Trump’s latest campaign push in Atlanta, with a rally at Georgia Tech aimed at energizing his base.

Finally, we head to Dekalb County to examine lower-than-expected Democratic turnout. Longtime Democrat and Dekalb CEO Mike Thurmond joins us to share his thoughts on what these numbers could mean for Election Day and beyond.

Links to today’s topics:

Drama builds in Georgia as Trump, Harris enter final stretch

Trump labels Harris a "fascist," flipping Democratic attacks on him

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”    

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On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell interview the legendary James Carville, whose unorthodox strategies helped Bill Clinton become president. Once critical of Biden’s reelection chances, Carville now says Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to win the presidency.

Bill and Tia discuss what changed his mind, why he’s clashing with “woke” Democrats, and how his personal and professional journey—featuring his marriage to Republican strategist Mary Matalin—is explored in a new documentary.

Later, AP national politics reporter Meg Kinnard shares her insights on the campaign trail and what to expect as the election nears.

Links to today’s topics:

Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid

Meg Kinnard Newsletter: Ground Game

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”    

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First up, Tia, Greg and Bill discuss the star-studded Kamala Harris rally last night in DeKalb County. Bruce Springsteen, former President Barack Obama, Tyler Perry and other luminaries urged the 20,000-plus crowd to turn out to vote for Harris. 

Then, Maya Prabhu joins the podcast to discuss how Georgia’s Asian American community is sizing up the presidential race. Korean American state Rep. Sam Park and Dr. Fun Fong, a fourth-generation Chinese American, join the conversation. 

Plus, it’s Friday, the day the hosts answer questions from the "Politically Georgia" listener mailbag and give their choices for who’s up and who’s down this week. 

Links 

Kamala Harris, Barack Obama urge Georgians to vote Democratic, Sprengstein serenades rally crowd 

Harris and Obama reach out to Black voters at rally 

Harris zeros in on Asian Americans in Georgia and other states 

Photo Essay on AAPI voters: More than a ‘margin of victory’ 

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”     

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Early voting numbers are soaring in Georgia—and so is the spending on TV ads by both the Harris and Trump campaigns. On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell explore the staggering $55 million ad blitz launched by both campaigns in the final stretch before Election Day. Political ad guru Rick Dent joins the podcast to break down the messaging strategies both sides are using to win over Georgia voters.

Later, we take a closer look at LGBTQ issues playing a prominent role in the campaign. Jeff Graham, the longtime director of Georgia Equality, offers his perspective on how these issues are shaping campaign strategies and becoming a critical part of the conversation in this battleground state.

Links to today’s topics:

Georgians bombarded with presidential attack ads

GOP ads attack Harris on transgender rights are dominating final stretch of presidential race

In Atlanta, Harris urges voters to "turn the page" on Trump

Harris brings Georgia campaign to church as candidates battle for religious vote

Monday report: latest data on early and absentee votes

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”    

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First up, state House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration discusses former President Donald Trump's rally last night in Gwinnett County. The Republican from Dacula tells the co-hosts to pay attention to Trump's policies, not necessarily his rhetoric.                                                                                                                                          Then former Democratic state Senator Jen Jordan talks about the gender gap revealing that women voters favor Vice President Kamala Harris by wide margins while a majority of men remain firmly committed to Donald Trump. And the hosts preview Harris' upcoming rally with former President Obama in Atlanta tonight. 

Links 

Trump leads fiery, hypermasculine Gwinnett rally 

Patricia Murphy: How gender gap turned into 2024 battle of sexes 

Bruce Springsteen, former President Obama to headline Kamala Harris rally in Atlanta 

AJC: Georgia voters on presidential race and top issues 

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”     

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Politically Georgia hosts Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut hosted a live-to-tape recording of ‘Politically Georgia’ in Atlanta.  

First up, Greg and Patricia are joined by special guests Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.  

Then, Tia and Bill Nigut interview Congresswoman Lucy McBath.  

Plus, Tia sits down with our AJC political contributors Carolyn J. Bourdeaux, Geoff Duncan and Meagan Myers Hanson, and Dekalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. 

Links: 

Live AJC events  

Takeaways from the AJC’s final poll before the presidential election 

Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode. 

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”     

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