This week we welcome back Howard Franklin to the podcast to provide an update on the extremely close Senate race in Georgia. Howard also walks us through the turnover in the legislature of this increasinly-important state.

Howard Franklin is the President and CEO of Ohio River South, a high-stakes strategy firm rooted in the New American South and led by professionals from government, business and politics. Savvy, southern and strategic, ORS has assembled the region's best technologies and tactics for achieving electoral and policy success.

Howard has led nonprofits, served in government, elected and lobbied public officials across two dozen states and counting. His career began leading a voter engagement nonprofit for former Mayor Maynard Jackson, before working for Mayor Shirley Franklin. In total, he has given nearly a decade to public service, working for Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and later serving as Senior Policy Advisor to Georgia's largest county, weighing in on a broad range of issues from healthcare to criminal justice.

He maintains dual citizenship in public and private sectors and has helped drive billions in investment while consulting for industry leaders across technology, healthcare, hospitality, transit and real estate. Equally adept in state capitals and on the campaign trail, he has helped public officials make and communicate policy decisions, win and hold elected office. In 2021, he led the campaign that elected Andre Dickens the 61st Mayor of Atlanta and co-chaired the mayor's transition team.

Howard was elected the first male president of the Georgia League of Women Voters at age 29, and was thrice recognized as Top 40 Under 40 by Georgia Trend Magazine, Atlanta Business Chronicle and The Network Journal. He was named a 2021 Man of Influence by the Atlanta Business League, and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Politico, NPR and MSNBC. He earned degrees in sociology and English from Morehouse College.

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