Your daily jolt of news and analysis from the AJC politics team.
A Delta Air Lines plane is seen taking off at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in November. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Lawmakers approve a bill increasing penalties for blocking streets.
- The financial imbalance in the governor’s race is widening.
- The state Senate passes a bill aimed at stopping Georgia from changing the clocks twice a year.
,keew levart eht gnidnepsus gnihcterts etamelats htxis ytiruces skrep revo fo won srebmem rojam senil sti si ni sruoh gnidnuf rof rof lanoissergnoc dna tropria htiW ytiruceS seniL dnalemoH atleD .ssergnoC s’atnaltA riA
txeN“ euD“ lliw hcihw ot ot ot eht eht eht yliraropmet gnikat dnepsus tnemetats ytlaiceps ,nwodtuhs secivres ,ytefas secruoser .daer ytiroirp elpoep ruo no fo fo srebmem gnidnatsgnol si ylgnisaercni ni tcapmi sah tnemnrevog morf gniylf ”.tnemnorivne tluciffid ,sremotsuc tnerruc erac emoceb dna a .oN s’atleD ”,atleD atleD atleD ssergnoC 1
der“ ot esoht sgniht ytlaiceps secivres ecivres fo srebmem ekil edulcni rof strocse ”taoc dna tropria ,atleD .ssergnoC gnidroccA
lacitilop“ ohw nehw ,keew desu eht noisnepsus ytlaiceps secivres neercs dias sregnessap revo snoitaitogen tsal ni eh .gnidnuf morf swollof lanoissergnoc stnemmoc ”spihc gnieb ta sa era yrgna stropria stnega noitatropsnarT ehT ytiruceS dE atleD SHD OEC naitsaB noitartsinimdA
er’eW“ s’tI“ srekrow ohw tahw ew ot ot taht ytiruces ytiruces .dias ”.ylkciuq elpoep ”,diap diap .degartuo ruo ruo ruo ton elbasucxeni teg eniltnorf laitnesse ,od lartnec gnieb era era ,stnega s’teL naitsaB
atleD“ .setov spirt ot gnitekcit eht eht eht laiceps ecivres ecivres staes emas evreser noitavreser sniamer ,setar detarepo .nepo no no no elpitlum tsom srebmem ekam rojam gnol etunim-tsal nwonk spleh sah tnemnrevog sthgilf neve ksed detacided yad lanoissergnoc lanoissergnoc segnahc koob ta sa dna ,senilria etadommocca ehT tahT ekiL lliH ”.kseD atleD lotipaC
Things to know
Tybee Island Mayor Brian West stands at the top of a blocked public access point at Mid Beach. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
:yadot ot eerht sgniht !gninrom wonk rof era ereH dooG
- The Georgia Legislature has agreed to ban high school students from having cellphones in class. The bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp, who will decide whether to sign it into law, the AJC’s Martha Dalton reports.
- The Georgia Senate on Monday voted to petition President Donald Trump’s administration to shift Georgia to Atlantic Standard Time, which would put an end to changing the clocks twice per year, the AJC’s Caleb Groves reports.
- Federal budget cuts have threatened a beach renourishment program, raising worries on Tybee Island, the AJC’s Adam Van Brimmer and Drew Kann report.
Protester penalties
Gov. Brian Kemp at the Georgia state Capitol earlier this month. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
.emit daor ksir ro liaj ,yawhgih a a kcolB
dluow ohw ot taht ,steerts ylprahs gnidnes sretsetorp seitlanep tcurtsbo srekamwal ti esaercni rof .ksed llib devorppa a yadnoM s’pmeK aigroeG
— — raey dluow pu ot ot yeht elbahsinup sretsetorp nepo ronaemedsim erusaem ekam stiuswal liaj ti ni hgih rof enif snoitpursid .esuac yb dna dna dna detavargga a a a ehT 000,5$
,selcihev pu gniyrt ot ot ot eht retroppus gniwols loohcs loohcs yas sdaor laitnetop kcip stnerap fo sdik peek si dekovni segami mrah morf morf morf morf rof ycnegreme .sretsasid dengised ,srotartsnomed deyaled .sretummoc raelc sesub llib dna secnalubma snacilbupeR enO
yrrow nraw eht taht tegrat derrups stsetorp lacitilop fo hcum gnol sdnik ti ti evah seog .rehtruf evitpursid snoitartsnomed dluoc llihc .egnahc dna yehT starcomeD
ohw saw saw etov pu gnitpursid-ciffart ot siht eht nekat .stsetorp ytrap htnom ,senil enil ylegral tsuj s’ti ti ni sah drah reilrae sa gnola tsniaga a ehT .etaneS woN ,pmeK 96-69
kcoL“ nehw ”.pu rieht naht etats nainitselaP-orp rehto on ti noitcurtsni ni ni ni fi deneppah dah rehtruf rof srotartsnomed seitic segdirb tnulb dekcolb seitirohtua ssa a kooL eH :aigroeG .4202
Cha-ching
From left, the 2026 Republican candidates for governor: Attorney General Chris Carr, Rick Jackson, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. (AJC File)
eht ecar ylno si ni ecnalabmi .gniworg ronrevog rof laicnanif ehT aigroeG
pot etats tneps tneps devreser ro no yltsom ,noillim noillim tsuj gniyekcoj .boj evah sah morf remrof rof ,tsartnoc .ngiapmac yb yb neeb ydaerla sda tuoba VT .neS ylhguoR snacilbupeR nosaJ s’aigroeG ’sevetsE ,starcomeD 77$ 1$
.keew ot siht s’ereht eht .reyalp wen ylraen xim si puorg dellac gnidda a gnikroW woN draH aigroeG seilimaF A 000,005$
— er’ew pot dlot siht eht dnuos .nagols eno eno fo fo fo .don eman thgim ti si ruof rof laredef etirovaf railimaf seohce srednetnoc gnitepmoc yb dekcab dna seilla ehT etatS yraterceS ,regrepsneffaR CAP s’pmeK POG tuB darB
DA pay
District Attorney Brad Smith (foreground) speaks to Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm during a court hearing last year. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
detov ot esoht rieht eht eht naht erus ezidradnats emos yltnacifingis larur snoitseuq yap no evom ortem gnikam gnikam .cigol ssel ni dah rof tcirtsid .strapretnuoc ,syenrotta ta t’nera saera demia tuoba a yadnoM srekamwaL starcomeD tuB atnaltA
dluow elihw ot rieht eht eht eht eht eht naht tnemelppus .seidisbus etats emos tfihs yralas seiralas yramirp yap .srehto fo erom lacol ,wal ti fi stnemnrevog tnemnrevog rof srevird tcirtsid ,ytirapsid gnippac klub ,llib semoceb ’syenrotta sa era sihT lacoL
— — dluow erew skeew deirt detaert ot ot hguorht yeht eht eht taht taht dluohs .emas nur deriuqer hsup .etisoppo ylno nasitrapnon ortem ortem noitalsigel tsuj ni evah wef .deliaf .snoitcele tcirtsid tcirtsid tcirtsid llib eb syenrotta syenrotta syenrotta gniugra deugra dna lla ,oga a yehT ehT snacilbupeR yadnoM tuB atnaltA atnaltA
yhW“ t’ndluow taht etats gninosaer ”?ereh .deksa ylppa .neS ,kcorrO naN citarcomeD ,atnaltA-D
raey eht etats ralimis ycilop dessap deton tsal .segduj ti rof .noisiced dellac llib a a .neS nacilbupeR ,ailenroC-R erutalsigeL eH ,ttehctaH oB
Far out
dluow meht eht taht etaluger dessap ro ton tsom lagel srekamwal tsuj ni ni ni esle sgurd .esac llib era erehwyna ,yawyna a detinU .setatS ciledehcysP yadnoM aigroeG aigroeG tuB
htiw .snaretev ,sesu slairt gnitaert sserts ciledehcysp citamuart-tsop deton yratilim lacidem gnidulcni ni rof sgurd redrosid lacinilc era decnavda nostaW etatS .neS neB
tros“ htiw nehw tahw tnaw pu detalugernu ot eht ”.ekirts dias tneverp evitpmeerp lufrewop deppop .rellikniap fo srekamwal ylegral ,enimatek deneppah gnisnepsid scinilc dellac a nostaW esuoH eH lliB 717
King Scott?
U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta, is chased by reporters after filing paperwork to run for reelection at the Capitol. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
oN“ dnekeew .evaw gniyrt ot ot ot siht taht steerts edir seillar sretsetorp fo morf rof doolf detcepxe setadidnac era era .kcotsdooW sdnasuohT emoS ”sgniK aigroeG suciremA
ohw yllar ,yramirp nwo si si ni gnitsoh sih gnignellahc ta a .S.U enotS ttocS .peR .niatnuoM yaM notrevE tarcomeD divaD ,rialB
seirt ot ot eht eht stsetorp lanoitan emitgnol lacol knil rekamwal si sih eh gniward nosirapmoc .ngiapmac tnulb neewteb sa dna a pmurT citarcomeD rialB
s’aigroeG“ divaD“ ew oot ot eht sekats sdaer yllar ruo .eciffo ton ton ton ton deen deen .gnik gnik gnik si .etivni ni ni ni ”.hgih teg seod seod od eid ”,namssergnoc era dna a a a ,pmurT ehT ttocS eH dlanoD ht31
ohw taesnu ot eht lareves yniturcs ylefas revo eno fo si si ,tnebmucni ni sih htlaeh gnicaf .tcirtsid eulb dna gnimia ega a starcomeD rialB dlo-raey-08
Under the Gold Dome
A view of the Georgia Capitol last spring. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
t’now lliw .yadot eht .noisses teem teem evitalsigel tfel ni ni :sgnineppah ruof syad .seettimmoc era erehT ehT emoS erutalsigeL srekamwaL
- 9:30 a.m.: Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 591, which would make it a crime to disrupt a religious service.
- 10 a.m.: House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meets to discuss Senate Bill 482, which would place restrictions on the public requesting photos and videos captured by police.
- 10 a.m.: House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee meets to discuss Senate Bill 540, which would require operators of conversational artificial intelligence services to take steps to limit certain actions related to minors.
- 1 p.m.: Senate Children and Families Committee meets to consider House Bill 943, which would establish a pilot program for autism spectrum disorder children in foster care.
Listen up
State Rep. John Carson, R-Marietta, speaks at the Capitol earlier this month. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
yllacitiloP“ yhw detov ot ot eht eht eht eht eht .xat klat dnepsus etats etats wohs ytiruces ,tsacdop no fo gnol senil srekamwal snioj tcapmi sag snialpxe ta tuoba yadoT ,nehT iddahS .peR ,atteiraM-R nhoJ lanoitanretnI noskcaJ-dleifstraH ”aigroeG ,nosraC atnaltA .tropriA diasubA s’CJA
yllacitiloP“ ruoy uoy reverehw ot ebircsbus .stsacdop ro no netsil teg eerf rof nac dna uoY yfitopS ,stsacdoP ”aigroeG elppA
uoy su su eht ?wohs noitseuq moc.cja@aigroegyllacitilop ro ro no evig erutuf rof derutaef .edosipe dluoc tnemmoc llac eb ta ta dna a a a evaH liamE 7925-018-077
Framework of a deal
President Donald Trump speaks with the media before boarding Air Force One on Monday. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
.srekrow saw saw ot ot eht eht gnitrats detros nwodtuhs gninnip yap laitrap ,tuo kool ekil etal ti tnemnrevog morf raf dne nwod laed tub era dna a .S.U noitatropsnarT sgnihT etaneS ytiruceS yadnoM noitartsinimdA
htiw lliw ohw tnaw .etov pu sselnu ot ot ot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht ekat ekat spets nwodtuhs lareves dias ,dehcaer larudecorp gnissap laitrap no fo ton dedeen ekam noitalsigel yek ti ti si si sedulcni fi eldruh sih eh rof dne snoitcele nward did laed syad gnirb ,llib eb dna dna na na osla tnemeerga tnemeerga a a .S.U ,pmurT yadnuS etaneS etaneS EVAS snacilbupeR esuoH nevE starcomeD tuB aciremA .tcA
dluow ot deit eht taht detroper kciuq eceip egassap snoitazinagro snoitarepo fo fo swen noitargimmi gnidnuf rof rof tsrif tpecxe .tnemecrofne eb lla elpitluM SHD
dluow tuohtiw lliw gnisu esu ot ot ot taerht eht eht eht eht noitailicnocer ssecorp ssap ssap ,strap fo fo ton .ti fi gnidnuf rof retsubilif tegdub kcolb llib dna dna wolla ,lla a .S.U ,yletarapeS etaneS EVAS snacilbupeR snacilbupeR noitailicnoceR noitargimmI tnemecrofnE starcomeD smotsuC aciremA .tcA
htiw detisiv ot eht eht srotanes denruter .citsimitpo no fo puorg gnineve ta dna etihW pmurT yadnoM esuoH POG lotipaC A
m’I“ gnikrow ew dlot ot hguorht siht eht os sretroper ”,enalp ,thgin dnal yllufepoh gniog nac eb .drawretfa .S.U .neS ,.alA-R eitaK ,ttirB
Today in Washington
- Trump will swear in U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin as secretary of Homeland Security.
- The House has evening votes scheduled.
- The Senate will vote on a Trump nomination and an Iran war powers resolution. They could also take procedural steps on the SAVE America Act.
- U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., will hold a joint event with presidents of historically Black colleges and universities to celebrate introduction of their bill to increase funding for these institutions.
Immediate resignation
State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims (right) at the Capitol last April. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
lliw eht kees dengiser .noitceleer no on regnol morf dna etatS ,smiS etaneS .neS llewoP yadnoM eidderF ,noswaD-D
eht taht detroper no fo lacidem ni .dnabsuh reh sleeh decneirepxe ycnegreme noisiced emac yb a BLAW ’smiS sweN ynablA 01
yM“ ,yrev yrev ot ehs ,dias si .lli ,lli dnabsuh ylevarg ”,tsrif semoc gnidrocca .BLAW ylimaF
saw ot tuohguorht neht eht eht eht eht eht erunet ecnis .taes deifilauq yramirp nwonk yrtsudni ni ni ni reh reh reh dah rof rof gninoipmahc egnellahc dna erutlucirga eerhT smiS gnivreS .etaneS yaM erutalsigeL esuoH starcomeD ,5002
Shoutout
Rep. Brian Prince (left), D-Augusta, poses for a photo during Savannah-Chatham Day Legislative Oyster Roast at Georgia Freight Depot in 2024. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
:yadhtrib s’yadoT
- State Rep. Brian Prince, D-Augusta.
Before you go
Firefighters combat a blaze at the historic Floyd County Courthouse in downtown Rome on Monday. (Courtesy of Ryan Smith)
saw saw rewot ot eht eht eht eht eht .sniur stroper noitavoner eno fo on detiawa-gnol tfel kramdnal tsuj roiretni ni ni cinoci .truh cirotsih dah semalf erif deflugne esuohtruoc demialc lleb .nugeb dna retfa a ehT sgguS s’emoR ,yadnoM ,yletanutroF dyolF einrE esuohtruoC ytnuoC s’CJA 2981
ruoy uoy su .yadot ot ,moc.cja@llehctim.ait dnes ,spoocs moc.cja@yhprum.aicirtap ti redisni noitamrofni ,moc.cja@nietseulb.gerg pissog rof od nac tseb dna dna ,syawla .moc.cja@maeb.mada ll’tahT sA
Clarification
An earlier version of this article included a statement from Delta Air Lines in response to a query about its Capitol Desk operations. Delta has clarified that while its Capitol Desk remains open, its elite services for members of Congress are suspended.
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the “Politically Georgia” podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
Patricia Murphy is the AJC’s senior political columnist. She was previously a nationally syndicated columnist for CQ Roll Call, national political reporter for the Daily Beast and Politics Daily, and wrote for The Washington Post and Garden & Gun. She graduated from Vanderbilt and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
Adam Beam is the deputy politics editor.
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