With the presidential election behind us, Georgia lawmakers are already preparing for the start of the 2024 General Assembly session in January. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell preview the legislative priorities shaping up for both Republicans and Democrats. 

State Senate GOP Majority Leader Steve Gooch shares insights on the Republican agenda, including passing a state budget and revisiting culture war issues like abortion restrictions and anti-LGBTQ measures that stalled in the 2024 session. 

We also speak with newly-elected Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones, who lays out the Democratic strategy for the upcoming session and the issues they aim to highlight despite limited power in the Republican-controlled Senate.  

Plus, we answer listener questions from our listener mailbag and pick this week’s winners and losers during who’s up and who’s down. 

Links to today’s topics  

Trump nominates Georgian Doug Collins to head Veterans' Affairs 

Trump chooses anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary 

Senate Republicans re-elect leadership team for 2025 session 

Sen. Harold Jones promises strong push for policy goals as new minority leader  

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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As former President Trump prepares to return to the White House, some Georgians may be joining him in Washington. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein, and Bill Nigut speak with Trump ally and state Senator Brandon Beach to discuss the possibility of his role in the upcoming administration. 

We also get Beach's perspective on the next legislative session, including whether issues like abortion limits, gun laws, and Medicaid expansion will take center stage in January. 

Next, we turn to Georgia’s Democratic Party, where new leadership elections are underway in the House following recent election losses. Outgoing state Rep. Teri Anulewicz shares her thoughts on the future of the party and the direction it should take moving forward. 

Links to today’s topics 

What to know about Matt Gaetz, Trump's choice for attorney general 

Donald Trump's attorney general pick has a history of stirring things up in Georgia 

Georgia GOP leaders are ready for life under Donald Trump 

Patricia Murphy: How Joe Rogan became the Walter Cronkite of 2024 

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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As the nation braces for President-elect Trump’s second term, his early decisions suggest a tough stance on immigration and a shift in the country’s political landscape. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell examine Trump’s plans, including his campaign pledge to initiate mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Chuck Kuck, a top immigration attorney, joins us to discuss how Trump’s early staffing choices signal a hardline approach and what that could mean for Georgia’s immigrant communities.

We also talk with former Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux, who recently expressed her disillusionment with the Democratic Party in an essay for the AJC. Bourdeaux shares her thoughts on how the party has lost its way and the direction she believes it needs to take to reconnect with voters.

Finally, activist Hillary Holley, executive director of Care in Action, discusses how organizers are strategizing to rebuild and refocus their efforts in the wake of the election.

Links to today’s topics 

Trump picks advisors liekly to carry out tough immigration policies

Carolyn Bourdeaux: This time it's Democrats who have to change

Care in Action website 

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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The AJC's Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut analyze Harris’s defeat, Georgia’s GOP strategy, and Democratic challenges

Summary: 

One week after Election Day, the political landscape in Georgia is shifting, with both parties assessing their next moves. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut speak with incoming DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. She shares her insights on Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss and its impact on Georgia Democrats, along with her goals for DeKalb County’s first 100 days under her leadership.

Republican strategist Stephen Lawson joins the podcast to discuss Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the priorities that Georgia Republicans are likely to push forward in the upcoming legislative session.

Finally, we explore the fallout within the Georgia Democratic Party after recent losses, as pressure mounts for leadership changes. We’ll examine what these developments mean for Georgia’s political future.

Links to today’s topics 

Incoming DeKalb CEO prepares transition team

Georgia Democrats consider "course correction" after losing 2024 presidential race

Donald Trump is likely to look to Georgia as he builds out his White House team

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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As Republicans celebrate Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House, the coalition he built is prompting discussions about a shifting political landscape. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell speak with UGA political science professor Audrey Haynes about what Trump’s broad support means for Georgia’s increasingly diverse electorate.

We also dive into Kamala Harris’s challenges in energizing Black male voters, traditionally a strong Democratic base. Democratic strategist Fred Hicks shares his insights on why Harris’s support among Black men lagged and whether there’s a risk of scapegoating this group for her loss.

We’ll also bring you the latest news making political waves in Georgia

Links to today’s topics

Young Black and Latino men say they chose Trump because of economy and jobs

Will Black men be scapegoats for Harris loss?

Raphael Warnock bemoans sense of "betrayal" after Trump victory

Burt Jones considers Medicaid expansion as 2026 governor's race looms

Former Georgia senator will chair Trump inaugural committee 

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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As the dust settles from Election Night, both major parties

are grappling with internal shifts, especially those on the political fringes.

On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia

podcast, hosts Tia Mitchell and Greg Bluestein speak with former Georgia Lt.

Gov. Geoff Duncan about the future for never-Trump Republicans like him and

where they fit into the GOP over the next four years.

Former President Trump’s record support among Latino voters

played a significant role in his victory, even as he campaigned on hardline

immigration policies. We’ll hear from Gwinnett Democrat Brenda Lopez Romero and

Republican state Senator Jason Anavitarte on what motivated Latino voters and

how each party views this growing bloc.

Plus, it’s Friday, so we’re diving into the listener mailbag

to answer your questions and sharing our picks for who’s up and who’s down as

we wrap up a historic election cycle.

Links to today’s topics

They

could be deported, but these Latino immigrants in Georgia still relish Trump’s

win

Georgia

Republican leaders ready for life under Trump

As

Georgia Democrats struggle with Trump’s comeback, some point fingers inward

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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Vice President Kamala Harris concedes as Georgia’s GOP celebrates victory and prepares for action. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy, Tia Mitchell and Greg Bluestein break down Harris’s concession speech and her commitment to a smooth transition as former President Donald Trump returns to the White House. We also discuss the potential Republican-controlled Congress, including which Georgia lawmakers may be headed to Washington in new leadership roles. 

We then shift focus to Georgia’s state politics, where Republicans are poised to retain control of the General Assembly. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones shares his insights on what’s in store for the upcoming legislative session. 

Plus, former state Senator Jen Jordan joins the podcast to explore why exit polls show low support for Harris among White women voters in Georgia, and to discuss the GOP’s hold on the state Senate. Jordan shares her perspective on what Democrats can expect in the legislative session ahead and reflects on how her party might regroup as they look toward 2026. 

Links to today’s topics 

Kamala Harris concedes 2024 election  

Former Trump aide Brian Jack elected to Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District  

Georgia members of Congress prepare for new GOP majority 

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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Donald Trump has reclaimed the White House and will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in January. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy, Tia Mitchell, and Bill Nigut examine Trump’s decisive win in Georgia, where he flipped a 2020 defeat into a 100,000-vote victory over Kamala Harris. Election data analyst Ryan Anderson joins us to break down how Trump turned rural counties even redder and why Harris’s support in metro Atlanta couldn’t close the gap.

We’ll also cover Georgia’s congressional races, with all U.S. House incumbents re-elected and Republican Brian Jack winning the open seat in the 3rd District.

Finally, we’ll hear reactions from Georgia GOP chair Josh McKoon and Democratic Party chair Nikema Williams as they reflect on what this election means for their respective parties moving forward.

Links to today’s topics:

Bluestein: How Trump won Georgia back for Republicans

Live AJC election updates: Trump headed to White House again

Georgia election results

Georgia incumbent U.S. House members all win re-election; They're joined by now 3rd district Republican Brian Jack

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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Election Day has arrived, with an estimated one million Georgia voters expected to join the more than 4 million who have already cast their ballots. On today’s episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Tia Mitchell, Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy discuss the final campaign pushes from Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, along with their appeals to Georgia voters in the race’s closing hours.

AJC reporters are stationed across the state to capture the scene. We’ll hear from AJC bureau chiefs Fletcher Page (Athens), Joe Kovac (Macon), and Adam Van Brimmer (Savannah) about the issues driving voters to the polls in their communities and get updates on polling wait times in metro Atlanta.

Finally, AJC elections expert Mark Niesse joins us to discuss what to expect as results start coming in, how Georgia is handling misinformation and the potential for post-election lawsuits. He also offers last-minute tips for Election Day voters.

Links to today’s topics:

Five things to watch for on election day in Georgia

AJC's live election day update page

Georgia secretary of state says state is ready for election day

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 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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