Politically Georgia

Greg Bluestein is joined by AJC City Hall reporter Shaddi Abusaid to examine the growing backlash over Flock license plate readers, including concerns about police misuse, privacy and who has access to that data. AJC business and climate reporter Kristi Swartz joins Greg to weigh Georgia’s data center boom, the enormous demands on electricity and water, and the growing resistance in communities across the state. They also size up how the debate is shaping the governor’s race and the fight over data center incentives.

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Tia Mitchell and UATL senior editor Ernie Suggs recap a newsmaking National Association of Black Journalists convention in Atlanta, including appearances by gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. They weigh Bottoms’ approach to the governor’s race and Raffensperger’s decision not to endorse Senate nominee Mike Collins. They also dig into NABJ’s decision to give thumbs-down awards to five people and organizations, including ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, and what the move says about the organization’s role in protecting Black journalists.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected].

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Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell dig into Jon Ossoff’s aggressive campaign strategy and his effort to turn Mike Collins’ controversies into a broader liability for Georgia Republicans. They break down Ossoff’s large weekend rally, his outreach to conservative voters and the potential down-ballot impact of a decisive win. They also examine Collins’ attempts to broaden his coalition, including outreach to Latino voters, and the fallout from his exchange with a Jan. 6 rioter over taxpayer-funded

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Greg Bluestein answers listener questions about Burt Jones’ refusal to endorse Rick Jackson, the long odds of Democrats taking back the Georgia House and the growing fight over data center development. He also weighs concerns about Georgia’s voting system overhaul, Flock cameras and a missed campaign finance deadline for Keisha Lance Bottoms. The mailbag also takes on how voters can spot politically funded fake news sites as AI and campaign misinformation reshape the information landscape.

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Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell talk with Republican congressional nominee John Cowan about his return to politics after losing a 2020 runoff to Marjorie Taylor Greene. Cowan discusses how he believes the MAGA movement has matured, why Republicans may face an enthusiasm challenge in Georgia and how Donald Trump can help candidates heading into November. Cowan also looks ahead at the incoming class of Georgia Republicans in Congress and his goal of building a more collaborative, service-oriented delegation.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected]. 

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Greg Bluestein sits down with veteran Republican strategist Jordan Fuchs to assess Georgia Republicans’ challenges heading into November, from weak enthusiasm to concerns about pocketbook issues and swing voters. Fuchs weighs Mike Collins’ struggles against Jon Ossoff and Rick Jackson’s rise in the governor’s race. She also reflects on Brad Raffensperger’s political future, the enduring fight over the 2020 election and the debate over hand-marked paper ballots.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected].

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Greg Bluestein and Washington Bureau Chief Tia Mitchell are joined by state Rep. Ruwa Romman to examine what Abdul El-Sayed’s Michigan Senate primary victory could mean for Georgia Democrats. Romman talks about how progressive candidates can win by building strong coalitions that reach through party lines to every day voters, emphasizing affordability, healthcare and constituent services. They also discuss what potential democratic socialist wins could mean for the Democratic party, Georgia’s governor’s race, and how candidates can navigate ideological divisions while appealing to swing voters.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected].

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Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell take on listener questions about what a Keisha Lance Bottoms administration could do to expand Medicaid with Republicans still controlling the Georgia Legislature. They also weigh the uneasy political history between Brian Kemp and Republican nominee Rick Jackson, the possibility of Elon Musk spending money in Georgia’s Senate race, and what could be next for Buddy Carter after his primary loss.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected].

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Patricia Murphy and Tia Mitchell talk with CNN anchor and chief domestic correspondent Phil Mattingly about Priced Out in America, his series examining the structural pressures behind rising housing, health care and child care costs. Mattingly explains why strong economic indicators often fail to reflect the financial strain many families feel and why neither party has a simple answer. Murphy and Mitchell also weigh how affordability could shape Georgia’s races for governor and U.S. Senate.

You can stream Phil Mattingly's series, Priced Out in America, on the CNN App and CNN.com/watch.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected].

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On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, Patricia Murphy shares her conversation with Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms about infertility, faith and the journey that led her and her husband to adopt four children. Greg Bluestein and Patricia explore how that experience shaped Bottoms and how it connects with Republican nominee Rick Jackson’s story of growing up in foster care.

Then, Greg and Patricia break down Jackson’s staggering $87 million fall advertising reservation. They look at how he plans to use the money, how Bottoms hopes to compete and why Jackson’s spending could make it harder and more expensive for every other Georgia campaign to reach voters.

Have a question or comment for the show? Call or text the 24-hour Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during our next Monday Mailbag segment. You can also email your questions at [email protected]. 

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