Georgia Politics

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3 things to know about Keisha Lance Bottoms’ plan to cut grocery costs

The Democratic candidate for governor is proposing to allow cities and counties to temporarily suspend or eliminate local sales tax on groceries and other necessities.

Mike Collins vs. Jon Ossoff: The key issues dividing Georgia’s Senate race

Collins, a Republican, and Ossoff, a Democrat, have stark disagreements across a range of policy issues. Here's a guide to understanding where they stand.

Grady cuts pandemic-era pay bump for nurses

A 40% decrease in extra pay comes as major policy changes in Washington pinch balance sheets.

PATRICIA MURPHY

The mysterious case of the missing campaign spouses in 2026

From Melody Jackson, Ph.D., to Dr. Alisha Kramer, the campaign trail in Georgia is missing a few key characters in 2026.

Politically Georgia

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POLITICALLY GEORGIA

Rick Jackson unveils anti-trafficking proposal, debuts new attack ad

The GOP nominee for governor’s new 30-second ad targets Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms’ public safety record as Atlanta mayor.

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POLITICALLY GEORGIA

Bottoms warns against potential GOP postelection power grab

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has a message for Republicans who might try to limit her powers in a lame-duck special session if she wins the governor’s race in November.

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POLITICALLY GEORGIA

Democrats challenge the ‘moderate Republican’ brand in Atlanta suburbs

At a fundraiser, state House candidates Adam Cleveland and Beth Fuller argued voters should judge GOP incumbents not by their brands, but by their party's policies.

Your Politics Team

Michelle Baruchman

Michelle Baruchman covers the Georgia House of Representatives and statewide issues.

Adam Beam

Adam Beam is the deputy politics editor.

Greg Bluestein

Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter.

Caleb Groves

Caleb Groves is a political reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Chris Joyner

Chris Joyner is the politics editor.

Shannon McCaffrey

Shannon McCaffrey is the managing editor for politics and business.

Natalie Mendenhall

Natalie Mendenhall is an award-winning producer for the "Politically Georgia" podcast.

Tia Mitchell

Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast.

Patricia Murphy

Patricia Murphy is the AJC's senior political columnist.

Maya T. Prabhu

Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC.

David Wickert

David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues.

Haven’t received your Georgia special tax refund yet? You might be out of luck.

Most people have already received special tax refunds of up to $500 this year. Some people's refunds will be delayed. But others are not eligible.

Georgia’s 33-cent gas tax returns

Georgia was the first state to suspend its gas tax amid soaring prices triggered by President Donald Trump's decision to go to war in Iran.

Brian Kemp’s budget ax falls on raises for state retirees

The governor, now in his final year in office, blocked $100 million in state spending that was meant to guarantee more robust cost-of-living raises for retired state workers.

Brian Kemp signs Georgia income, property tax cuts. Now comes the hard part.

The laws will collectively send $2.9 billion back to taxpayers. The governor hinted at potential spending cuts to help pay for it.

Opinion and Voices

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OPINION

Readers write

Georgia deserves specifics from governor candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson about their education plans.

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PATRICIA MURPHY

The mysterious case of the missing campaign spouses in 2026

From Melody Jackson, Ph.D., to Dr. Alisha Kramer, the campaign trail in Georgia is missing a few key characters in 2026.

Credit: Patricia Murphy

PATRICIA MURPHY

Meet Charlie Bailey, Jon Ossoff’s pick to flip control of Georgia in 2026

The AJC's Patricia Murphy talks with Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey about this year's elections.

State Government

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Gwinnett DA files lawsuit in fight over nonpartisan voting law

Gwinnett DA Patsy Austin-Gatson is the second official to take legal action over the law, which only affects Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton counties.

Georgia high court drops most murder cases in potentially costly move for taxpayers

For the first time in history, the Georgia Supreme Court will no longer take most murder appeals, transferring that work to the lower Georgia Court of Appeals.

Credit: Broly Su

Sports betting, other special interests spend big on Georgia elections

Independent political committees have spent $25 million to influence Georgia elections. That's more than the total spent during the previous midterm election cycle in 2022.

Georgia Democrats talk property taxes as they eye a possible House takeover

Democrats have largely opposed Republican-backed tax cuts. Now, they're seeking feedback from the public on what a Democratic majority could accomplish.

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Georgia lawmakers map out state’s next voting system with eye on 2028

A Republican-dominated panel discussed plans for Georgia's next voting system in time for the 2028 election cycle on Friday.

Third Democratic state lawmaker pleads guilty to COVID unemployment fraud

State Rep. Sharon Henderson pleaded guilty to defrauding the government by taking COVID-19 pandemic-era unemployment benefits she was not entitled to.

More AJC Politics

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Democratic socialists aren’t taking over. But their influence is growing.

The movement has more success nationally than in Georgia. But its members are working to push Democrats to the left at a moment when they are gaining momentum.

Credit: Shaddi Abusaid/ shaddi.abusaid@ajc.com

Georgia leaders agree Flock needs guardrails. The rift is over how far to go.

Misuse of the technology by law enforcement has made Flock cameras an issue in Georgia's political campaigns.

Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com

Georgia officials told to continue with normal absentee ballot procedures

State officials are urging counties to stay the course ahead of absentee voting deadlines amid a legal fight over mail ballots.

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Where they stand: Bottoms, Jackson on abortion

Georgia’s restrictive abortion law took effect in 2022 after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Here’s where the candidates for Georgia governor stand on the issue.

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How far will Trump go to influence the midterms?

Trump’s critics believe he will go to great lengths to avoid Democratic control of Congress, from seizing election equipment to deploying immigration officers at the polls.

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Mike Collins, facing tough Senate race, will speak at GOP convention

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who is running for Senate, and Rep. Brian Jack, will both be speaking at the Republican Party's midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.

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COLUMN

She created YES DAY for children in crisis. Then her godson needed it.

Jodi Sonenshine built a charity around delivering moments of joy. Then cancer struck the son of her closest friend.

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Former Gov. Sonny Perdue throws political weight behind Jackson campaign

Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is stumping for GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson.

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POLITICALLY GEORGIA

Bottoms’ data center stance reflects a fast-changing Georgia debate

The Democratic nominee for governor once advocated for a data center at Georgia Tech's Technology Square. Now, she wants to pause new data center developments.

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OPINION

Readers write

Georgia deserves specifics from governor candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson about their education plans.