Political Breakfast from WABE

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Georgia Governor's race rivals square-up, Candidates post financial disclosures in the first stretch of the 2026 race Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

On this week's Political Breakfast: Campaign fundraising is ramping-up.

Strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam tackle the latest numbers in the 2026 Georgia Governor's race.

On the Democratic side, Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and state Senator Jason Esteves have surpassed the 1 million mark over roughly 2 months since both entered the race.

For the GOP: Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones has loaned himself 10 million dollars while Republican Attorney General Chris Carr has raised more than 3-point-5 million since annoucing his bid in November.

Do these numbers translate into the most competitive candidates?

Plus, low voter turnout in the Democratic runoff for the Georgia Public Service Commission race. Brian and Tharon share why YOU should care.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flash flood tragedies in Texas, Impact in Georgia now that Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' has been signed, sealed and delivered Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump just signed his so-called 'big, beautiful' massive tax and spending bill over the July 4th holiday weekend.

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to the latest.

Plus, Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter wrote on X on Sunday that his granddaughters are safe after attending a summer camp in Central Texas that flooded over the weekend -- but one of their cousins has died.

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Plugged In: Come along for a Georgia presidential history summer road trip Jul 04, 2025

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On this week’s special Independence Day encore episode of “Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast,” politics reporter Sam Gringlas takes listeners on a summer road trip to a pair of towns that helped shape former presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Georgia’s own Jimmy Carter.

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Georgia Representatives prepare to vote on Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill in Washington, Democrats call it ugly Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

On this week's Political Breakfast, Republicans are mostly a united front and in support of President Donald Trump's so-called 'big, beautiful' massive tax and spending bill.

Georgia Democrats say there's nothing beautiful about it, claming the bill will strip away people's healthcare and increase poverty while creating tax breaks for the rich.

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to the latest as lawmakers debate the bill in the U.S. House.

Trump says he wants to sign the bill by the July 4th holiday. It's sweeping tax cuts are estimated to add trillions more to the national debt. It also boosts spending on border security and defense, makes massive cuts to programs like Medicaid and shifts more responsibility for food assistance to the states.

It would also slash clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, that helped propel solar and electric vehicle manufacturing in Georgia.

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Duncan the Democrat? Will Georgia's former Republican Lt. Gov. cross over in a potential run for Governor? Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

On today's Political Breakfast, we react to news from the AJC that Geoff Duncan may be running in the 2026 Georgia Governor's race as a Democrat.

Duncan, now an official outcast after Georgia GOP leaders expelled him from the party, has long expressed frustration with President Donald Trump and those who support his administration.

But strategists Brian Robinson, Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam wonder: Is the party willing to accept him? Or has Duncan fallen off the radar?

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Plugged In: What cutting clean energy tax credits could mean for Georgia Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

A massive solar panel recycling facility called Solarcycle is coming soon to Cedartown, a small community in Northwest Georgia near the Alabama border.

Solarcycle got a $64 million tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act to build a second facility that will make solar panel glass, but according to the company, the groundbreaking is on hold as Congress considers gutting the clean energy tax credits in the new federal budget.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali look at what this could mean for Cedartown and Georgia’s flourishing industries making electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels.

Plus, how the conflict between Israel and Iran is exposing divisions among Georgia Republicans and a look at the fall of the in-person campaign launch.

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Georgians react to the U.S. bombing three Iranian nuclear sites, more attack ads launched in Georgia Governor's race, Chris Carr versus Burt Jones Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

On this week's Political Breakfast, the gang addresses the latest in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

Israel and Iran continued to trade attacks over the weekend, with U.S. officials saying both have violated a recent cease fire.

U.S. bombs destroyed three nuclear sites in Iran, according to President Donald Trump.

Republican strategist Brian Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam bring it home to Georgia -- where one of Trump's most fierce supporters, GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, criticized the move.

Plus, supporters of Georgia Republican Attorney General Chris Carr released an attack ad against his potential opponent in the 2026 gubernatorial race: Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.

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Plugged In: Religious liberty law illustrates Georgia’s evolving discourse on LGBTQ issues Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Former Georgia Governor Nathan Deal drew national attention in 2016 when he vetoed a religious liberty bill that opponents said would lead to discrimination against LGBTQ people.

When a similar measure passed again this year, Governor Brian Kemp quickly signed it into law.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss what’s changed over the past decade with WABE's Patrick Saunders, who has been leading WABE’s annual Beyond Pride series, which takes a close look at LGBTQ issues in Georgia.

Plus, Georgia Republicans and Democrats are charting the future of their parties as state lawmakers grapple with a heated political climate following the assassination of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband.

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'No Kings' protests, Public Service Commission race has power, but low early-voting turnout Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Political Breakfast went live this week, as Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to thousands flooding the streets of Atlanta for 'No Kings' protests, part of broader demonstrations across the nation.

They happened the same day as a military parade in Washington for the Army's 250th Anniversary -- which also coincided with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

Congressional Democrats and some Republicans have slammed the roughly $45 million dollar cost of the parade.

Plus, primary elections for two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission are today. The PSC regulates utilities, including Georgia Power rate increases and how the company generates electricity. Could Democrats gain control?

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Plugged In: The race to power Georgia’s data center boom Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

Data centers are growing faster in Atlanta than anywhere else in the country.

That rapid growth has left communities grappling with how these new developments will impact the environment and their neighborhoods.

WABE has been taking a closer look at data centers as part of our series, “Server South.”

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali are joined by WABE and Grist Climate Reporter Emily Jones and WABE Environment Reporter Marisa Mecke to talk about data centers’ massive demand for power and water and some possible solutions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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