The Georgia Politics Podcast

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On the show today, we dive into how Republicans across Georgia were able to find success last Tuesday at both the state and local levels. Eamon Keegan, President of New Prospect Strategies, joins the show to talk to Craig about some of the local campaigns he worked on and how some of his clients were able to outpace Donald Trump in Georgia. They talk about how campaign strategies have changed over the years, what still works, and what drove them absolutely bananas over the last few months. Our guess is some of you can relate. They also touch on what they saw Democrats doing in the field and how they can’t seem to learn from their mistakes and make gains in a state that more or less has continued to trend purple in the last few Presidential election cycles. Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Preston Thompson on Twitter @pston3 Hans Appen on Twitter @hansappen Craig Kidd on Twitter @CraigKidd1 Proud member of the Appen Podcast Network. #g

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s show we discuss Tuesday's election results and where Democrats go from here. The top line is that Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in a race that ultimately wasn’t all that close. The country moved right - everywhere. Trump increased his margins from 2020 in Florida by 10%, Texas by 10%, Ohio by 3%, New York by 13% and Virginia by 6%. He also increased his margin of the black vote from 8% in 2020 to 13% in 2024 and with the Latino vote from 32% to 45%. In Georgia, we saw much the same, with Republicans retaining control of both chambers of the legislature. They will keep their 33-23 majority in the Senate, where the closest race was SD 48, which saw Republican Shawn Still defeat Democratic challenger Ashwin Ramaswami with 53.6% of the vote. The only seat Republicans lost in the House went to a candidate running as an independent, leaving Democrats with the same 78 seats to 101 for the GOP. Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspo

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s episode, former Congressman and current President of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Bob Barr, joins us to discuss his political journey and the impact of the 1994 Contract with America. The Contract with America, introduced during the 1994 congressional campaign, was a significant policy agenda released by the United States Republican Party. It outlined specific legislative proposals the party promised to bring to a vote if they secured control of the House of Representatives. The document emphasized a conservative vision focused on limited government, lower taxes, and personal responsibility. The Contract was a pivotal factor in the Republican Party's victory in the 1994 midterm elections, which led to a major political realignment with the GOP taking control of the House. Bob Barr, then a Republican congressman from Georgia, was an active supporter of the Contract’s principles. While he was not one of its primary architects—a role primarily credited

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s special episode, we are once again joined by two delegates from Georgia to the most famous party convention in American history. Parker Hudson and Taylor Branch, both graduates of Westminster Schools, were delegates from Georgia to the 1968 DNC supporting Sen. Eugene McCarthy because of his anti-Vietnam War position. The convention, held in Chicago, was a turning point in U.S. political history, marked by violent protests, police brutality, and deep divisions within the Democratic Party. The backdrop of the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy fueled a highly charged atmosphere. Inside the convention, the Democratic Party was divided between establishment figures supporting Vice President Hubert Humphrey and more progressive, anti-war factions backing Senators Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern. Georgia played a distinct role in the convention as it represented the conservativ

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! There are only 10 days left until the election. Have you voted yet?! Georgia is experiencing record turnout. Through Wednesday, over 2 million people had already cast their ballots early across the state. It’s going to be a close one, folks! The AJC released their final poll before election day showing Donald Trump with a 47% to 43% lead over Kamala Harris, with 8% of likely voters still undecided. Also this week, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously rejected the Republican Party's effort to reinstate State Election Board rules regarding election night ballot counting and a requirement for a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying results. The one-page order upholds a Fulton County judge's ruling from last week, which declared seven new election rules to be "illegal, unconstitutional, and void." In non-Presidential-election-news, Governor Brian Kemp and Republican legislative leaders revealed a plan to tap into the state’s growing surplus to provide over $1 billion in

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s show we talk political reaction to natural disasters, two critical Fulton County court updates, and much more. 28 days until the election! Hurricane Helene ravaged the southeast and in Georgia has reportedly caused the deaths of at least 33 people and $417 million in damage. Donald Trump was in Georgia Sunday and Kamala Harris was in Augusta Wednesday. What role can or should a candidate for office play in shining a light on needed assistance to these inflicted areas? We also touch on the Walz/Vance debate since we’ve not done a show since. Will it move the race at all? Also, in two preelection trials last week, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said state law requires county election boards to certify results one week after Election Day. He didn’t not dismiss either suit, as Republicans had hoped, and may issue a ruling in the next few days. With the election right around the corner, these ruling could have huge implications on who win

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s show, host Amber Perry is joined by ProPublica Editor Ziva Branstetter to discuss recent reporting on the consequences of a 6 week abortion ban in Georgia. ProPublica, a national nonprofit newsroom, published the first two installments of its project “Life of the Mother: How Abortion Bans Lead to Preventable Deaths” last week. Included are stories about women who, according to the reporting, died because they were unable to access medical treatment that had been available prior to Georgia’s new 6-week ban. Branstetter details how and why ProPublica decided to pursue these stories, what they hope will result from their reporting, and what stories they are pursuing next. To read the articles in their entirety, click HERE. To support or connect with ProPublica, click HERE. Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Connect with Amber Perry on Twitter @ambermarieperry Preston Thompson on Twitter @pston3 Hans Appen on Twitter @hansappen C

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s special episode, we are joined by two delegates from Georgia to the most famous party convention in American history. Parker Hudson and Taylor Branch, both graduates of Westminster Schools, were delegates from Georgia to the 1968 DNC supporting Sen. Eugene McCarthy because of his anti-Vietnam War position. The convention, held in Chicago, was a turning point in U.S. political history, marked by violent protests, police brutality, and deep divisions within the Democratic Party. The backdrop of the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy fueled a highly charged atmosphere. Inside the convention, the Democratic Party was divided between establishment figures supporting Vice President Hubert Humphrey and more progressive, anti-war factions backing Senators Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern. Georgia played a distinct role in the convention as it represented the conservative, pro-segregation

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! We had a fiery debate this week from Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, but we’ve got a lot more than that to cover on today’s episode. Buckle up. Hitting on the big news of the week, we dive into post-debate analysis right off the bat. Our big takeaway is Donald Trump looks unprepared, rattled and at times, angry. Kamala Harris appeared to start nervous, but found her stride about 15 minutes in. Will it make a difference in the election? We discuss. We also touch on updates to who is going to be on Georgia’s ballot in November and what it could mean for the important swing state. Importantly, in wake of another school shooting, this time at Apalachee High School in Winder, we discuss what can be done (if anything) in the Georgia legislature to prevent more tragedies like this from happening in Georgia schools. Speaker Burns is signaling he wants to do something, but Preston expresses doubt that when push comes to shove we'll see any bills move to address the epidemic

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s special episode, we are joined by retiring Rep. Penny Houston to reflect on her nearly 40 years of public service in elected office. Penny Houston (R-Nashville) has served in the Georgia House of Representatives since 1997, representing House District 170, which includes Berrien, Cook, and parts of Tift counties. She is the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development and sits on several key committees, including Ways & Means, Banks & Banking, Economic Development & Tourism, and others. Houston has also held leadership roles in various state and national committees and boards. She recently announced that she will be retiring from elected office at the end of her term. In her community, Penny is active in the Nashville United Methodist Church, the Methodist Home in Macon, and local chambers of commerce. She is an honorary member of the Nashville Rotary Club and has supported the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Homes for over 30 year

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! Georgia continues to be the center of the political universe and we’re here for it. On today’s show, we kick it off with a roundup on the presidential election. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz hit the trail in (south) Georgia. This is on the heels of her first rally as the presumptive nominee taking place at Georgia State University. What does it say that they are spending so much time in Georgia, and not the blue wall states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan – long thought to be the road for Democrats to retain the Presidency? While unusual for Democrats since Bill Clinton’s bus tour in 1992, for Republicans, visits outside metro Atlanta are the norm. Trump has held rallies in Commerce, Dalton, Perry, Rome and Valdosta. Also, a lawsuit that has the support of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign was filed by the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Party of Georgia and Democrats on county election board to challenge new Georgia election certification rules,

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s episode, we are highlighting the notable Democratic National Convention of 1968, which shares several parallels with this year's DNC, starting today. The 1968 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago was a significant and turbulent event in American history, marked by widespread protests and police confrontations. The convention was held against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, civil rights struggles, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Georgia played a notable role, as its delegation was involved in the broader conflict over civil rights and party representation. Julian Bond, a prominent civil rights leader from Georgia, was controversially nominated as the Vice Presidential candidate by anti-war delegates, despite being only 28 years old and thus constitutionally ineligible. Bond's nomination symbolized the deep divisions within the Democratic Party and highlighted the rising influence of the civil rights movement

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s show, we talk about the state of the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the battleground state of Georgia. Buckle up. Also, we discuss the Georgia State Election Board’s new rule allowing county boards to demand more information before certifying an election. This looms large over November’s results in Georgia and has the potential to blow up in our face. Preston and Craig discuss. Also, we go over a lot of other local (not Presidential!) races to watch for as we close in on election day. Underhyped/Overhyped, Play-Along-At-Home and much more on today’s jam packed episode! Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Preston Thompson on Twitter @pston3 Hans Appen on Twitter @hansappen Proud member of the Appen Podcast Network. #gapol

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s episode, we mark the 50th anniversary of President Richard’s Nixon’s resignation from office. The Watergate scandal is one of the most significant political scandals in American history. It began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972. The subsequent investigation revealed a web of political espionage, sabotage, and cover-ups involving high-level members of the Nixon administration. As the investigation deepened, it became clear that Nixon had been involved in efforts to obstruct justice, including the infamous "Saturday Night Massacre," where he ordered the firing of the special prosecutor investigating the case.  On August 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon announced his resignation in a televised address to the nation. He acknowledged the loss of political support due to the Watergate scandal. The next day, August 9, Nixon left the White House, becoming the first U.S. pr

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today's show, Kamala Harris makes her pick for running mate. Tim Walz is the 41st governor of Minnesota, serving since January 2019. He previously represented Minnesota's 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives and is known for his focus on education, healthcare, and veterans' issues. Walz has a background in teaching and military service. The pick was a surprise for many who expected PEnnsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro to get the nod. The Professor joins Craig to discuss. Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Preston Thompson on Twitter @pston3 Hans Appen on Twitter @hansappen Craig Kidd on Twitter @CraigKidd1 Proud member of the Appen Podcast Network. #gapol

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s episode we are joined by Brad Carver and Trey Kelly, delegates for Georgia to the 2024 Republican National Convention. On the show, Brad and Trey tell us about their experiences as delegates and what the scene was like – particularly in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on President Trump. Taking place in Milwaukee on July 18, the convention featured a series of high-profile speeches and events. Former President Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for the 2024 election, with Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate. Key speeches were delivered by figures such as Mike Pompeo and Greg Abbott, who emphasized Republican priorities like immigration policy. The convention saw appearances from the Trump family, including Melania and Ivanka Trump, who joined Trump during the nomination paperwork signing. The event included notable speakers from various sectors, such as Tucker Carlson and UFC CEO Dana White, adding a mix of political and entertain

Welcome to an emergency episode of The Georgia Politics Podcast! The big news, on a Sunday no less, is that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed his Vice President, Kamala President to be the party’s nominee. Biden, who has served as the 46th President of the United States since January 2021, has withstood weeks of a media blitz speculating about his political future. Growing pressure has also mounted from leaders within his own party calling on him to drop out. Today, he announced that he will indeed be dropping out of the 2024 race and has endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to be the Democratic Party’s nominee in his place. Details about how the party intends to go about their nomination process, and when President Biden would address the nation about his decision, we’re not available as of the taping of this episode. Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Preston Thompson on Twitter @pston3 Hans Appen on Twitter @hansappen Proud member of t

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! With the 2024 Republican National Convention kicking off this week, we thought we'd take a look back at the last truly contested Republican convention - 1952. Held in Chicago from July 7 to July 11, the convention was a pivotal moment in American political history. The primary contenders for the presidential nomination were Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, representing the conservative wing, and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a popular war hero and moderate. A major issue was the seating of delegates from contested states, particularly Texas, leading to the decisive "Fair Play" amendment favoring Eisenhower. The convention's atmosphere was charged with intense debate and strategic maneuvering. Eisenhower emerged victorious on the first ballot with 595 votes to Taft's 500, securing the nomination. Senator Richard M. Nixon of California was chosen as his vice-presidential running mate, balancing the ticket with his anti-communist stance. The convention highlighted the GOP'

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! On today’s show we discuss the fallout from President Biden’s awful debate performance and the impact of the SCOTUS immunity decision on Fulton County’s case against former President Donald Trump. Two weeks ago, President Biden had one of the worst debate performances in the history of politics. The blowback has been severe, with non-stop speculation from the media about his political future and many elected Democrats calling for him to drop out of the race. To date, he has been pretty unequivocal about his intention to stay in the race, but should he?   Next up, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on July 1, 2024, determined that former President Donald Trump has broad immunity from federal prosecution for actions taken as part of his official duties while in office. The court's 6-3 decision, along ideological lines, grants Trump a presumption of immunity for his official acts but denies immunity for unofficial acts. The ruling complicates Trump cases like the one in Fult

Welcome to The Georgia Politics Podcast! We are republishing last year's reading of the Declaration of Independence by show regular and amateur historian, Craig Kidd. Happy 4th everyone! Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration is the founding document of our United States. It declared to the world that the 13 colonies would henceforth regard themselves as independent and no longer subject the the British colonial rule. We honor our nation's birthday with what we hope to be a new tradition on the podcast. Take a moment to honor the bravery that our nation's founding fathers showed by declaring themselves and generations to come free and equal. Connect with The Georgia Politics Podcast on Twitter @gapoliticspod Preston Thompson on Twitter @pston3 Hans Appen on Twitter @hansappen Proud member of the Appen Podcast Network. #gapol